Donald Trump is once again at war with Fox News, accusing the conservative-leaning network of shortchanging his packed campaign rallies and giving too much airtime to Democrats as Republicans fight to hold their ground in the midterm elections.
The president unleashed his frustration Sunday after Fox News provided only limited coverage of his Saturday night rally in Vandalia, Ohio, where Trump appeared before supporters while campaigning for Republican candidates in several closely watched races.
Trump argued that Fox viewers wanted to see far more of the rallies and warned the network could pay a price with its traditionally conservative audience if executives continue moving in another direction.
“Sad to see that Fox & Friends (Sunday) is not covering our packed house and incredibly enthusiastic (beyond!) Rally that took place in Ohio last night,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He also pointed to recent Republican events in Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma, claiming the rallies had been sold out with thousands of additional supporters trying to get inside.
“Our people want to see our Rallies, and reports on our Rallies, on Fox News, or they will very quickly stop watching,” Trump warned.
Fox News did, in fact, mention the Ohio event Sunday morning, according to multiple reports. However, the network did not air Trump’s entire speech and instead highlighted a portion dealing with the president’s defense of large data centers.
That distinction appears to be at the heart of Trump’s complaint.
The Ohio rally was hardly a routine campaign stop. Trump traveled to Vandalia to boost Republican Sen. Jon Husted and Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy ahead of the November midterms.
Husted is locked in a high-profile Senate battle with Democrat Sherrod Brown, while Ramaswamy is running against Democrat Amy Acton for governor. With control of Congress at stake, Republicans are counting on Trump’s ability to energize conservative voters in states such as Ohio.
Trump’s anger at Fox quickly extended beyond its rally coverage.
The president accused the network of spending too much time featuring Democrats and liberal commentators, arguing that its MAGA audience has grown increasingly frustrated.
“Fox spends more time talking to Communists, Socialists, and Dumocrats, often without rebuttal,” Trump wrote, adding that “MAGA is not, to put it mildly, happy.”
He then singled out Jessica Tarlov, the Democratic voice regularly featured on Fox News’ popular panel show The Five.
“We don’t like stupid Jessica Tarlov,” Trump wrote, accusing Fox of forcing commentators like her “down MAGA’S throats.”
Tarlov has long occupied an unusual position at Fox News. She joined the network as a contributor in 2017 and later became one of the personalities rotating through The Five’s liberal seat. The show’s conservative lineup includes Greg Gutfeld, Dana Perino and Jesse Watters, while Tarlov and Harold Ford Jr. regularly provide the opposing political perspective.
Trump had already attacked Tarlov and Fox just days earlier.
In an October 1 Truth Social post, the president questioned why the network frequently featured Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and Tarlov criticizing Republicans.
“I actually think they get more airtime than Pro Republicans,” Trump wrote.
He added that this was why “MAGA, and REAL Patriots, will never like Fox,” arguing that conservative viewers are repeatedly exposed to a negative narrative before Republicans are given a chance to respond.
Trump also used his latest broadside to bring up former Fox Business star Maria Bartiromo.
“Who makes these decisions at FoxNews?” Trump asked. “Probably the same loser that fired the great Maria Bartiromo because she complained about not being allowed to cover ‘TRUMP.’”
Trump’s explanation for Bartiromo’s departure is his own characterization and should not be treated as an established account of what happened. Reports surrounding her exit have offered differing descriptions, and Bartiromo’s attorney has disputed claims that she was fired.
Still, the episode illustrates a growing tension between Trump and a network that has historically attracted a massive conservative audience.
The relationship has always been more complicated than it sometimes appears.
Trump has repeatedly praised individual Fox hosts while attacking the network’s polling, election coverage and liberal contributors. At the same time, Fox has maintained extensive connections to Trump’s political world.
Several prominent Fox personalities have gone on to serve in Trump’s second administration. Pete Hegseth, formerly a Fox & Friends Weekend co-host, became secretary of defense. Former Fox Business personality Sean Duffy became transportation secretary. Longtime Fox host Jeanine Pirro became U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, while border czar Tom Homan previously worked as a Fox contributor.
And those ties continue even as Trump publicly complains about the network.
Former Trump White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was announced Monday as a new Fox News contributor beginning November 1, underscoring how closely the network and Trump’s political orbit remain connected despite the president’s criticism.
Trump nevertheless made clear that he believes Fox should pay closer attention to what its conservative audience wants.
“Cover our ‘happenings,’ and not the opposition to Greatness for America,” he wrote, warning the network that its ratings could suffer if viewers decide they are no longer getting the coverage they expect.
“Remember, Fox tried this act once before,” Trump added. “That can happen again!”
With the November 3 midterm elections approaching and several Republican races tightening, the dispute is about more than television programming.
Trump is crisscrossing the country attempting to mobilize the GOP base, and he clearly believes live television coverage of those rallies is part of that effort.
Whether Fox executives respond to the pressure remains to be seen. But Trump’s message to the network was unmistakable: he believes MAGA voters are watching closely — even when he says he isn’t.
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Amongst his other disabilities, Trump’s eye sight is failing. It was clearly shown on camera the number of people streaming, and I mean streaming, out of that small auditorium. He didn’t have a packed house and many of those who were there left 45 minutes into his speech.