Chris Wallace 'horrified' by CNN's Acosta's conduct: 'It's not our job to one-up presidents'

Chris WallaceChristopher (Chris) WallaceDC delegate: Congress took up police reform due to 'impatience in the streets' Activist: Stop vilifying protesters and try to understand why they are fighting Ex-CDC director: 'No doubt' coronavirus 'has the upper hand' MORE ripped Jim AcostaJames (Jim) AcostaHillicon Valley: Justice Department announces superseding indictment against WikiLeaks' Assange | Facebook ad boycott gains momentum | FBI sees spike in coronavirus-related cyber threats | Boston city government bans facial recognition technology Twitter permanently suspends account behind doctored video shared by Trump Twitter disables video in Trump tweet featuring fake CNN chyron MORE over a heated exchange the CNN chief White House correspondent had with President TrumpDonald John TrumpNew Jersey incumbents steamroll progressive challengers in primaries Tucker Carlson ratchets up criticism of Duckworth, calls her a 'coward' Trump on Confederate flag: 'It's freedom of speech' MORE during a press conference in India on Tuesday, saying Acosta made a "huge mistake" that "adds to the people questioning the credibility of the media."

"I was horrified by [Acosta]," Wallace said at a Columbia University event in New York City hosted by the Common Ground Committee on Tuesday night. "It’s not our job to get in fights with presidents. It’s not our job to one-up presidents. It’s our job to report on presidents."

"But to the degree we have responded to his attacks on us with attacks or advocacy in kind, there’s a huge mistake, and I think adds to people questioning the credibility of the media," the "Fox News Sunday" host said.

Acosta told Trump during a press conference in New Delhi that CNN's "record on delivering the truth is a lot better" than his "sometimes" after the president broached the topic of a recent report on Russia's election interference that CNN later walked back.

"I worry that the president’s attacks have given too many straight news reporters — not talking about the opinion page or prime time — an excuse or license to cross the line themselves and become players on the field, and I think that is a huge mistake," Wallace said. "It’s not our role. Our role is to be observers, umpires, fact-checkers, investigators — it’s not to be advocates. It’s not to be opponents."

Wallace was appearing with New York Times reporter Maggie HabermanMaggie Lindsy HabermanDoes Donald Trump even want a second term? The Hill's 12:30 Report: Sights and sounds from the protests The Hill's 12:30 Report: Sights and sounds from weekend protests across the US MORE, also a CNN contributor, who said she agreed with Wallace on the media's role.