Following the final presidential debate of the 2016 election, many praised Chris Wallace's balanced and stern performance as a moderator. But what he said in the past about Donald Trump has some surprised.

Fox News' Chris Wallace earned plenty of praise for his reasonable and balanced moderation of the final presidential debate. As CNN notes, Wallace was the first Fox News host to moderate a debate in the general election, a job he says he took very seriously.

"This is not a TV show," Wallace said on his show prior to the debate. "This is part of civics, the constitution, if you will, in action, because this is helping millions of people decide who we're going to elect as the next president."

Following the debate, Wallace's previous remark about Donald Trump's candidacy have left some people surprised.

On his show, "Fox News Sunday," Wallace spoke about his 2015 interview with Trump, and explained his feelings after sitting down with the Republican nominee and hearing what he had to say on and off camera.

Wallace said that he is "beginning to believe" that Trump "could be elected president of the United States," according to Breitbart.

"All of us dismissed Trump early on," Wallace added. "A summer fling, momentary amusement. As I watch that interview and I heard what he had to say about the country and about trade and about losing and just the sheer force of his personality, I am beginning to believe he could be elected President of the United Sates."

Wallace's statements surprised many because, while he hosts a show on Fox News, he is a registered Democrat.