President-elect Donald Trump teased Fox News Thursday night as he accepted the Honorary Patriot of the Year award from emcee Sean Hannity at the Fox Nation Patriot Awards on Long Island.
The 78-year-old was the final award recipient, with country singer Lee Greenwood appearing in-person to provide Trump with his usual walk-on music.
Trump has sometimes bristled over Foxs coverage of him - but it was a lovefest Thursday night.
On-air talent gushed about his incoming administration from onstage as the raucous crowd yelled and screamed that they loved him - and participated in a venue-wide YMCA dance.
You have incredible people at Fox. You have incredible people at every level of Fox, Trump said. A couple of them I dont like but thats alright.
I shouldnt name them, should I? he joked.
Trump then gloated over his tremendous election victory, saying it really started 72 days before, when he survived an assassins bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania.
No days off, no play, no golf, no nothing, Trump said. I didnt want to play golf because we have a very important job to do.
President-elect Donald Trump takes the stage at the Fox Nation Patriot Awards Thursday night on Long Island
Trump said that while he was pleased with the results of the 2024 election - this one was too big to rig, he boasted - he still wanted the country to move toward single-day voting using paper ballots.
He mocked California for having a law where its illegal to ask voters to show their ID. Republicans, in contrast, support voter ID laws, while Democrats have generally stood against them.
Trump floated someone who could remedy that law.
Theyll have to get Judge Jeanine. Wheres Judge Jeanine? Trump asked.
Judge Jeanine Pirro was seated in the front section with droves of other Fox News personalities.
The first thing we have to do is get the criminals out of our country, Trump said.
He told the crowd that while he knew that inflation was going to be a hot button issue in the 2024 campaign, I never believed it was as important as immigration and the border and stopping our country from being invaded.
I always really felt that was bigger than inflation, he added.
Trump then noted how Tom Homan, the incoming border czar and a upstate New York native, was central casting.
Last week Trump dramatically said hed levy a 25 percent tariff on both Canada and Mexico in order to push those countries to up their border control.
Trump reiterated his conversation with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo Thursday night.
A very nice woman, Trump said. And she said, "Why are you doing this to me?" I said, "Because youre allowing criminals to pour into our country."
Hannity - a Long Island native - was the emcee of the evening and warmed up the crowd by doing Trumps YMCA dance.
He thanked God for Trumps win.
Many would argue that this election was a miracle. Thank you, Jesus, the longtime Fox News personality said.
He joked that it the audience was filled with Nazis and fascists and imagined a world where Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, had won the election exactly one month ago.
It would give you paper straws. I dont like paper straws, Hannity complained.
Fox News Channels Sean Hannity (left) emceed the event and gave President-elect Donald Trump (right) his award
Fox News Channels Sean Hannity - a Long Island native - was the emcee Thursday night for the event held at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts
At one point, Hannity pretended to be Democratic vice presidential hopeful, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, gesticulating wildly for the crowd
There would be taxpayer funded sex change operations, Hannity said, adding that Tampon Tim - Republicans nickname for Harris running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz - would put menstrual products in little boys bathrooms.
That is one strange human being, Hannity said of Walz, after gesticulating wildly onstage in a Walz-like manner. That is one weird human being, he added.
Walz was picked to be on the Democratic ticket after labeling Trump and his running mate, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance weird.
Hannity then shuffled around onstage and asked the audience who he was.
A rainforest backdrop popped up making it more obvious.
President Joe Biden went viral last month when he appeared to wander off into the Amazon, after delivering remarks in Brazil.
Hannity also called attention to DailyMail.coms exclusive reporting on second gentleman Doug Emhoff when cracking a joke.
I have sources that told me - he had already picked out the new nanny, Hannity said.
Emcee Sean Hannity (left) poses on the red carpet with Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt (right) on the red carpet ahead of FOX Nations Patriot Awards at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts on Long Island
Rachel Campos-Duffy poses on the red carpet at the Fox Nation Patriot Awards Thursday night. Campos-Duffy is the wife of former Rep. Sean Duffy, who Trump named to be his Transportation secretary
Judge Jeanine Pirro poses on the red carpet ahead of the Fox Nation Patriot Awards Thursday night
Honorees included Stephanie Diller, whose husband, 31-year-old NYPD officer Jonathan Diller, was shot and killed in the line of duty by a career criminal.
Diller told the audience what she hoped about she and her sons life: Although we suffered this tragedy, we will not live a tragic life.
Police officers are people, she reminded the crowd. I want people to remember that.
Retired Gen. Dick Cody was heralded for his helicopter piloting efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Several dogs were brought onstage when the group Paws of War - the Nesconset, New York-based non-profit that connects rescue dogs with veterans - was given an award.
During the ceremony, Cameron Clay, a member of the U.S. Army National Guard, was surprised by being reunited with Feyre, a dog he had watched over while deployed to Kosovo.
While many of Foxs personalities were seated together in the front of the audience, Pete Hegseth was noticeably absent - due to his Department of Defense secretary nomination.
But Hegseth appeared in a reel multiple times, as two VA whistleblowers Paula Pedene and Dr. Sam Foote - were honored.
Presenters Rachel Campos-Duffy and Will Cain made the most of that moment noting how someone who was just unscreen would make one hell of a secretary of Defense.
Other awardees included Cameron Blasek, the winner of the Young Patriot Award, who didnt back down when his school tried to have him remove his American flag from his pick-up truck. Blasek not only won but got other students and community members to join.
Christian conservative actor Kirk Cameron was given the Culture Warrior award for pushing libraries that permit drag queen story hour to allow him to read his childrens book too.
Also Clarence McCallister, given the Award for Bravery after he tackled a gunman who was trying to shoot a pastor.
Fox Nation also honored Guillermo Estrada and Alex Jones, two of the University of North Carolina fraternity brothers who held up the American flag amid anti-Israel protests on campus.