Donald Trump Betrayed as Rupert Murdoch ‘Bans’ Him from Fox News; ‘Fear Not, We Will Win’
There was a time when the loyal bond between anchors on Fox News and Donald Trump seemed unbreakable. No matter
Tristan Green
There was a time when the loyal bond between anchors on Fox News and Donald Trump seemed unbreakable.
No matter what the former president got up to, the network steadfastly stood by him. Against attacks from all comers, through controversy after controversy, and through the riots of January 6 – they believe in their guy.
Suddenly however, the tables have turned. It's been a long time since Donald Trump was interviewed on Fox – you may be surprised to hear exactly how long – and as Trump fishes for mainstream media coverage of issues he wants to get off the ground, he's finding himself surrounded by turned backs.
Unfriending Fox
Back in May, the 2016 campaign manager for Hillary Clinton, Robby Mook, admitted in court that the candidate herself signed off on the plan to release information to the media about the Trump-Russia connection.
We now know that the material passed to a New York Times reporter kicked off years of investigations and scrutiny that dogged every Trump footstep in the White House.
Trump is desperate to resurrect attention focused on what Mook testified to. For his 2016 campaign, Trump made the rounds to supporters and riled them up by chanting, "Lock her up!" about Hillary Clinton.
It would appear that Trump is trying to get any of the media outlets to bite on the "Clinton is at fault" re-approach, saying on his social media platform Truth Social, "The Fake News just won’t move on this, as usual. Fear not, we will win!"
It seems that he's trying to capture that enthusiasm again, as his supporters are heard chanting, "Lock her up!" at recent rallies.
From the outside, it seems absurd. After all, Clinton is not only not running against Trump in 2024 – she's basically off the political intrigue radar.
So why is Trump trying so hard to dig up this old rivalry?
DeSantis or Pence – the Trump Factor Problem
Because it worked. When he was running in 2016, part of Trump's momentum was harnessed among those who distrust Washington so-called "elites" and insider politicians, of whom Clinton is one of the most infamous.
Now, he's desperate to turn attention away from the January 6 investigations that are closing in on the former President as well as election interference investigations in Georgia.
So why not turn to what's worked before?
Unfortunately, it's coming off a little desperate and unhinged – and networks like Fox News have officially dumped the former president out in the cold.
The one-loyal network helmed by Rupert Murdoch hasn't interviewed the business mogul on air since mid-April.
While they have aired speeches and moments from his rallies since then, they've basically dumped the Republican darling for more favorable prospects like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence. Nikki Haley is another on Fox's radar, and it's not sitting well with Trump who blasted them last week for discussing polls wherein DeSantis beat Trump in a hypothetical 2024 primary. Trump took to Truth, writing, "@foxandfriends just really botched my poll numbers, no doubt on purpose. That show has been terrible – gone to the 'dark side.'”
Mega-donors seem to be following their lead, and Trump is left with fewer friends and a quickly tightening legal noose. OAN and Newsmax are still speaking with the former President, but he's struggling to get the coverage he found just by breathing in the 2016 and 2020 lead-ups.
If you're Donald Trump though, it's not all bad news – his supporters are just as loyal as ever, and they still believe in their guy. They just might not believe he has a chance to take the general election in 2024, and many are voicing their hope that he chooses not to run.
Trump may have no choice though; he may need the legal protection provided by the presidency to shield him from the multiple investigations bearing down on him.
Whether or not 2024 comes first or possible indictments from the Department of Justice remains to be seen – but Trump is desperate to kick off his campaign and start drawing attention to what he plans to do and not what he's already (allegedly) done.