Mainstream media outlets CNN and FNC cut away from audio coverage of decorated veterans speaking at a Donald Trump event on Friday morning with some commentary centering around the birther issue that opponent Hillary Clinton’s dredged up earlier that morning.

Clinton, who’s health troubles have been the subject of national news, brought up the debate from 2008 over whether now President Barack Obama was actually born in the United States. Clinton commented on the issue Thursday night at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Gala and again at a Friday morning event. The events were Clinton’s first appearances since her collapse as she prematurely left a 9/11 memorial event in New York City on Sunday.

Media outlets including CNN began speculating on whether Trump would comment on the birther issue at his Friday morning veterans event.

As Trump’s event began, 17 Medal of Honor recipients began praising Trump one after another.

Retired U.S. Navy SEAL Mike Thornton, a decorated Medal of Honor recipient, said, “This election means so much. We do not need anymore bureaucratic leadership from Washington, D.C. We need true leadership from the top. Mr. Trump has never failed in anything because he listens to his advisers, he listens to his people. For the last eight years our President hasn’t listened to anybody. And that’s the reason we’ve lost CIA Directors, we’ve lost Secretary of Defense and many many general officers have dropped out and resigned because of his leadership. We cannot stand for four more years of leadership like that. We need somebody who’s gonna lead from the front like Donald Trump.”

Lt. Gen. Tom McInerney, USAF (ret) then took the stage, saying “It’s very simple. We, our warriors here, are supporting Mr. Trump because he has the only budget, the only economic plan, that can rebuild the military. If you elect Hillary Clinton, you’re gonna get 1 percent growth, you’re going to get 3.5 to 6 percent growth with this (Trump’s) administration because he knows how to take the handcuffs of America’s economy.”

Around this time, Fox News Channel cut away from the audio to speak, in part, about the birther issue, as noted by Cathleen Decker of the Los Angeles Times:

CNN and Fox have peeled away from veterans touting Trump; MSNBC still on them. 24 minutes in, no mention of birther issue by anyone. — Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) September 16, 2016

For about 15 minutes now, cable nets airing uninterrupted praise of Trump by veterans. — Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) September 16, 2016

Breitbart California Editor Joel Pollak noted CNN’s coverage:

“I don’t know what to say here … We got played, again, by the @realDonaldTrump campaign." – @JohnKingCNN #Birther — Joel B. Pollak (@joelpollak) September 16, 2016

Trump closed his Friday veterans event stating that “Hillary Clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it.”

Politico reported in April 2011 that the “birther” issue began with the Democratic politics of the 2008 election as Clinton was losing to then Sen. Obama.

Trump continued his closing comments at the Friday event, stating that Obama was born in the U.S. and went on to say, “now we all want to get back to making American strong and great again.”

This isn’t the first time CNN and FNC have peeled away from live coverage to redirect their narratives. During speeches at the Republican National Convention from parents who have lost children at the hands of illegal aliens, Fox News and CNN cut away from their speeches. CNN also failed to carry the speech of Pat Smith live. Smith is the mother of Sean Smith who died in the terror attack in Benghazi, Libya.

Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana