Former President Donald Trump criticized ABC News moderator David Muir for fact-checking him during his first debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump referred to Muir as a "foolish fool" during a press conference held at Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes, California on Friday.

During the debate, Muir fact-checked Trump's claim that crime is rising in the United States. Trump asserted that crime was "worse than it's ever been," but Muir countered by stating that the FBI statistics indicated that overall violent crime was decreasing in the country.

Trump objected to Muir's fact-checking, accusing the FBI of manipulating crime statistics. According to Trump, the agency selectively excluded data from the worst areas and cities, thus deceiving the public about the true extent of the crime problem.

Furthermore, Muir called out Trump's false claim that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio were eating pet cats and dogs. The ABC News journalist revealed that the city manager had confirmed that there were no credible reports of such incidents involving the immigrant community.

Dismissing Muir's fact-checking, Trump insisted that he had seen people on television making claims about pets being taken and used for food, further perpetuating the false assertion.

Fellow moderator Linsey Davis also fact-checked Trump's false claim that Democrats want to execute babies after they're born. Davis clarified that no state in the country allows the killing of babies after birth.

In addition to his criticisms of Muir, Trump took a personal jab, remarking that the ABC News journalist's hair was not as good as it was five years ago.

The Independent has reached out to ABC News for comment regarding Trump's criticisms. It remains to be seen how the network will respond to the former president's remarks.

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between politicians and fact-checkers in the realm of televised debates. As the 2022 midterm elections approach, fact-checking and accountability in political discourse are likely to continue playing significant roles in shaping public opinion.