Major Controversies Surrounding Sean Hannity: A Detailed Timeline

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Sean Hannity.

Sean Hannity is a prominent American conservative media personality. He is known for hosting "The Sean Hannity Show," a nationally syndicated radio program, and a political commentary show on Fox News since 2009. Earlier in his career at Fox News, he co-hosted "Hannity & Colmes" with Alan Colmes from 1996 to 2009, which was a debate-style show. His work generally reflects a conservative viewpoint on political and social issues. He is also an author.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1989: Hannity makes anti-gay comments on KCSB radio show

In 1989, Sean Hannity made anti-gay comments on his radio show for KCSB, calling AIDS a "gay disease" and alleging the media was concealing important information from the public. He also featured anti-gay activist Gene Antonio, who claimed AIDS could be spread by people sneezing in close proximity and made disparaging comments about homosexual behavior.

The AIDS cover-up?: The real and alarming facts about AIDS

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2001: Hannity calls climate change 'phony science'

In 2001, Sean Hannity described climate change as "phony science from the left".

2004: Hannity claims scientists can't agree on global warming

In 2004, Sean Hannity falsely claimed that scientists couldn't agree on whether global warming was "scientific fact or fiction".

2006: Hannity critical of Keith Ellison being sworn in with a Quran

In 2006, Sean Hannity was critical of Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to U.S. Congress, being sworn into office with an oath on a Quran. Hannity equated the Quran with Mein Kampf, asking a guest on his show whether he would have allowed Ellison "to choose, you know, Hitler's Mein Kampf, which is the Nazi bible?"

2007: Common Ground Book Release

In 2007, the book Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That Is Destroying America described Sean Hannity as a leader among broadcasting political polarizers.

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2008: Demanding Obama release birth certificate

In 2008, even after Barack Obama produced his birth certificate certified by the state of Hawaii, Sean Hannity kept calling on Barack Obama to release his birth certificate

2009: Hannity supports enhanced interrogation and offers to be waterboarded

In 2009, Sean Hannity voiced his support for enhanced interrogation techniques, a euphemism for torture. He even volunteered to be waterboarded for charity, prompting Keith Olbermann to pledge $1,000 for every second of waterboarding Hannity underwent.

2010: Hannity says 'Climategate' exposed global warming as a myth

In 2010, Sean Hannity falsely stated that so-called "Climategate" exposed global warming as a myth cooked up by alarmists. However, all subsequent inquiries found no evidence of scientific misconduct or wrongdoing.

2010: Hannity criticized Julian Assange

In 2010, Sean Hannity said WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was waging a "war" on the United States.

2010: Criticism of Freedom Concerts

In 2010, Sean Hannity's Freedom Concerts faced criticism and complaints regarding the percentage of money raised going to the target charity, leading to scrutiny from Debbie Schlussel, CREW, the FTC, and the IRS. The concerts stopped around the same year.

2012: Mitt Romney's Failure in Philadelphia voting districts

In 2012, Mitt Romney's failure to obtain any votes in 59 of 1,687 Philadelphia voting districts was cited as a proof of election rigging by Sean Hannity.

2014: Major Proponent of Alleged Scandals Involving Obama Administration

In 2014, analysis found that Sean Hannity was a major proponent of alleged scandals involving the Obama administration and Hillary Clinton related to the 2012 Benghazi attack.

2015: Fox News begins extensive coverage of Uranium One

From 2015 into 2018, Fox News broadcast extensive coverage of an alleged scandal surrounding the sale of Uranium One to Russian interests, which Hannity characterized as "one of the biggest scandals in American history".

April 2016: Tensions with Ted Cruz

In April 2016, a contentious radio interview between Sean Hannity and Ted Cruz occurred, where Cruz implied Hannity was a "hardcore Donald Trump supporter," and Hannity accused Cruz of "throw[ing] this in my face" when asked a question.

September 2016: Praise for Julian Assange

In September 2016, after WikiLeaks published leaked emails from the Democratic National Committee, Sean Hannity praised Julian Assange for showing "how corrupt, dishonest and phony our government is" and wished him well.

October 2016: Offer to Purchase a One-Way Ticket to Kenya for Obama

In October 2016, Sean Hannity offered to purchase a one-way ticket to Kenya for Barack Obama, continuing to question Obama's citizenship despite the release of his birth certificate.

2016: Study finds Hannity promoted falsehoods about the Affordable Care Act

A 2016 study found that Sean Hannity promoted several falsehoods about the Affordable Care Act, falsely alleging that Democratic Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus had said Social Security could be "insolvent in two years" due to the Act.

2016: False Claims About Election Rigging

During the 2016 presidential election, Sean Hannity faced criticism for making false claims about election rigging during interviews.

2016: Promotion of Conspiracy Theories Regarding Hillary Clinton

During the 2016 presidential election, Sean Hannity promoted conspiracy theories about Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party. He claimed Clinton had serious medical problems, misrepresented photos, and shared false information about her health.

2016: Hannity describes the Mueller investigation as one giant incestuous circle of corruption

In 2016, Sean Hannity described the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, as well as James Comey's tenure as FBI Director, as "one giant incestuous circle of corruption".

2016: Close Relationship with Trump

In 2016, Sean Hannity developed a close relationship with Donald Trump during the election, which grew even closer during Trump's presidency. They spoke frequently, discussing Hannity's show, the special counsel investigation, and White House staff. Hannity echoed Trump's attacks on the media and encouraged actions like shutting down the government for border wall funding.

2016: Hannity falsely claims fewer people voted for Trump due to the 'pee tape' rumor

In 2016, Sean Hannity falsely claimed that fewer people voted for Trump in the 2016 election because they heard about the "pee tape" rumor. He called this "election interference", even though it was not public knowledge until 63 days after the election.

2016: Hannity defends Roger Ailes against sexual harassment accusations

In 2016, Sean Hannity vociferously defended Roger Ailes when he was accused by multiple women of sexual harassment.

2016: Criticized for being overly favorable to Trump

In 2016, Sean Hannity was criticized as being overly favorable to the candidacy of Trump and granting him more airtime than other presidential candidates during the 2016 primaries.

February 2017: Retweet of Conspiracy Website Article

In February 2017, Sean Hannity retweeted a WikiLeaks tweet linking to a Gateway Pundit article claiming John McCain was a "globalist war criminal", later deleting the tweet after criticism.

March 2017: Call for Purge of Obama-Era Officials

In March 2017, Sean Hannity called for a "purge" of Obama-era bureaucrats and appointees in government, furthering his advocacy of the "deep state" conspiracy theory.

March 2017: Hannity promotes conspiracy theory about CIA hacking DNC emails

In March 2017, Sean Hannity publicized a theory, initially proposed on WikiLeaks' Twitter, suggesting the CIA could have hacked the Democratic National Convention's emails while making it appear Russia was responsible.

April 2017: Hannity defends Bill Shine amidst allegations of enabling Ailes's behavior

In April 2017, Sean Hannity defended Fox News co-president Bill Shine after reports indicated Shine's job was at risk. This defense came in light of at least four lawsuits alleging that Shine had ignored, enabled, or concealed Roger Ailes' alleged sexual harassment.

May 2017: Offer to Assange to Guest Host Show

In May 2017, Sean Hannity offered Julian Assange the opportunity to guest host his Fox News TV show.

May 2017: Promotion of Conspiracy Theory About DNC Staffer's Death

In May 2017, Sean Hannity promoted a conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party's involvement in the death of a DNC staffer, leading to backlash, advertiser boycotts and criticism from news sources.

May 2017: Reiteration of Deep State Conspiracy

In May 2017, Sean Hannity reiterated his claim that deep state/intelligence operatives were trying to destroy the Donald Trump presidency.

May 17, 2017: Hannity's coverage of the Mueller investigation begins

On May 17, 2017, following Robert Mueller's appointment as special counsel, Sean Hannity began intensely covering the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election on his show. According to a Media Matters review, Hannity devoted a significant portion of his program to criticizing Mueller and the media's coverage of the probe.

September 2017: Hannity hosts Bill O'Reilly on his show after O'Reilly's firing from Fox News

In September 2017, Sean Hannity hosted Bill O'Reilly on his show, several months after O'Reilly was fired from Fox News due to multiple sexual harassment allegations. During the interview, O'Reilly criticized liberal media watchdog groups and expressed regret for not fighting harder when these groups targeted his advertisers.

October 2017: Hannity criticized for attacking Democrats while defending Bill O'Reilly

In October 2017, Sean Hannity faced criticism for attacking Democrats following accusations against Harvey Weinstein, a Hollywood producer and Democratic donor. Critics pointed out that Hannity had recently defended Bill O'Reilly, his Fox News colleague, who had been fired after numerous sexual harassment allegations.

November 2017: Fox News host Shepard Smith debunks Uranium One allegations

In November 2017, Fox News host Shepard Smith debunked the alleged Uranium One scandal, stating that Hillary Clinton did not personally approve the sale, infuriating viewers and prompting Sean Hannity to call Smith "clueless".

2017: Hannity advocates for waterboarding in kidnapping cases

In 2017, Sean Hannity continued to advocate for waterboarding, specifically raising the example of using it against a kidnapper.

January 2018: Hannity's comment regarding Hillary Clinton

In January 2018, Sean Hannity commented about Hillary Clinton "I think Hillary should be in jail. Lock her up."

March 2018: Hannity has not been waterboarded

As of March 2018, according to Media Matters, Sean Hannity has not been waterboarded despite previously volunteering to undergo the procedure for charity.

March 2018: Hannity attacks Robert Mueller's career and relationships

In March 2018, Sean Hannity attacked Special Counsel Robert Mueller, saying his career was "anything but impeccable". Hannity said Mueller was friends with former FBI Director James Comey and former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and that he "cannot be expected to honestly investigate scandals that his friends are directly involved in".

March 2018: Seth Rich's Parents File Lawsuit

In March 2018, Seth Rich's parents sued Fox News for pushing conspiracy theories about their son's death, alleging the network "intentionally exploited" the tragedy.

April 9, 2018: Federal Agents Search Michael Cohen's Office

On April 9, 2018, federal agents searched the office and residence of Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's personal attorney. Sean Hannity defended Cohen on air, criticizing the action as an abuse of power.

April 2018: Hannity claims 'criminal' connections between Clintons, Mueller, and Comey

In April 2018, Sean Hannity ran a segment where he claimed there were "criminal" connections between Bill and Hillary Clinton, Mueller, and Comey. Hannity asserted that there were three connected "Deep State crime families" actively "trying to take down the president."

April 2018: Sharing a lawyer with Trump

In April 2018, it was revealed that Sean Hannity shared a lawyer, Michael Cohen, with Donald Trump. Hannity had not disclosed this conflict of interest while defending Cohen and criticizing his investigators on Fox News, raising journalistic ethics concerns.

April 16, 2018: Hannity Revealed as Cohen's Client

On April 16, 2018, in a court hearing, it was revealed that Sean Hannity was one of Michael Cohen's clients, a fact Hannity had not disclosed while covering Cohen on his show.

May 16, 2018: Hannity's show coverage of Mueller investigation

From Robert Mueller's appointment (May 17, 2017) to May 16, 2018, Sean Hannity had 487 segments substantially devoted to Mueller (approximately two per episode), opened his program with Mueller 152 times (approximately three times per week), and the content of his show was highly critical of the probe and the media's coverage of the probe

June 2018: Hannity suggests witnesses destroy their phones like Hillary Clinton

In June 2018, after reports surfaced that Mueller's probe had asked witnesses to turn over their personal phones for examination, Sean Hannity sarcastically suggested on air to the witnesses that they "follow Hillary Clinton's lead" and destroy their personal phones to prevent examination.

November 4, 2018: Hannity announced as 'special guest appearance' at Trump rally

On November 4, 2018, Donald Trump's website announced that Sean Hannity would make a "special guest appearance" with Trump at a midterm campaign rally the following night in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Hannity initially denied he would be on stage campaigning with the President, but did speak at Trump's lectern on stage at the rally, mocking the "fake news" media.

2018: Fox News broadcasts extensive coverage of Uranium One

May 2019: Hannity says Mueller was 'basically full of crap'

In May 2019, after Robert Mueller stated that the Special Counsel investigation did not exonerate Trump of crimes, Sean Hannity responded by saying Mueller was "basically full of crap" and did not understand the law.

June 2019: Hannity's Outrage at Pelosi's Comment

In June 2019, Sean Hannity expressed outrage at Nancy Pelosi's comment about wanting to see Donald Trump "in prison", calling it "despicable behavior".

June 2019: Hannity calls for bombing Iran

In June 2019, after Iran shot down a U.S. drone, Sean Hannity called on Donald Trump to "bomb the hell of out Iran".

2019: Conspiracy Theories with Impunity

In 2019 The New Yorker wrote that Hannity had "[spewed] baseless conspiracy theories with impunity".

February 2020: Comments on COVID-19 Spread

In February 2020, as COVID-19 spread to the United States, Sean Hannity stated that some on the left were hoping for the virus to cause havoc in the United States for political gain.

March 2020: Characterization of COVID-19 as a "hoax"

In March 2020, Sean Hannity described COVID-19 as a "hoax" and suggested the outbreak was a "fraud" perpetrated by the "deep state".

October 12, 2020: Fox News Settles With Rich Family

On October 12, 2020, Fox News agreed to pay millions of dollars to the Rich family in relation to the Seth Rich conspiracy theories.

December 2020: Call For Investigation

In December 2020, Sean Hannity called for Donald Trump's claims of voter fraud to be investigated by a special prosecutor, despite lacking credible evidence.

2020: Hannity's Advice to Mark Meadows

After Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, Sean Hannity sent text messages to Mark Meadows, Donald Trump's chief of staff, offering advice, including a message suggesting a joint "NC Real estate" venture.

2020: Hannity hosted Trump attorney Sidney Powell

In 2020, Sean Hannity hosted Trump attorney Sidney Powell, who made assertions that Dominion voting machines had been rigged against Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

2020: False Claims of Election Fraud

Sean Hannity promoted false claims of election fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

December 31, 2020: Hannity's Text to Meadows

On December 31, 2020, Sean Hannity texted Mark Meadows, stating, "I do NOT see January 6 happening the way he [Trump] is being told," indicating concerns about the events leading up to the January 6th attack.

2021: Fox News Sued for Defamation

In 2021, Fox News was sued for defamation by Dominion Voting Systems after Sean Hannity and other hosts promoted claims that the company's voting machines were rigged against Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

May 2022: Hannity Participated in Conference Call

In May 2022, it was reported that Sean Hannity participated in a conference call days after the 2020 presidential election, which focused on strategies for challenging the legitimacy of the vote.

January 2023: Comer begins investigating the Bidens

In January 2023, James Comer began investigating the Bidens but found no evidence of wrongdoing by the president.

October 2023: Staffer Emailed Republican Lawmakers

In October 2023, a staffer on Sean Hannity's show emailed Republican lawmakers, questioning why they weren't supporting Jim Jordan, Donald Trump's choice for House Speaker.

December 2023: House votes to initiate impeachment inquiry

In December 2023, despite a lack of evidence, the Republican-controlled House voted unanimously to initiate an impeachment inquiry against President Biden.

2023: Promotion of Allegations Against Joe and Hunter Biden

Throughout 2023, Sean Hannity heavily promoted allegations that President Joe Biden acted corruptly through his son Hunter Biden's business dealings, referring to them as the "Biden crime family." He discussed bribery allegations on his program 85 times and hosted James Comer 43 times to discuss the House Oversight Committee investigation.

February 2024: FBI informant indicted

In February 2024, the FBI informant who made bribery allegations against President Biden was indicted on charges of fabricating the story and was allegedly associated with Russian intelligence.