Why Fox News 'might need its own assist from a higher power' under second Trump term: columnist

Rupert Murdoch in 2015 (Creative Commons)
Maya Boddie
November 17, 2024Media

As President-Elect Donald Trump makes clear his intent to surround himself with loyalists during his second term, the news network known for exhibiting a staunch commitment to the MAGA mission might run into some problems.

In an op-ed published by The Daily Beast, Media columnist Brian Lowry argues that “the benefits of Fox’s cozy, almost symbiotic relationship with Trump” could run out more quickly than the right-wing network would expect.

“As Trump made clear during the campaign,” Lowry writes, “almost no amount of fealty or groveling is enough to satisfy him. In Trump’s eyes, that included publicly griping about Fox accepting ads that criticized him or booking representatives for his opponent, Kamala Harris, prompting him to post on his social-media site during the race’s waning days, ‘FOX NEWS IS NOT OUR FRIEND. It’s crazy!’

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Lowry notes:

Part of 93-year-old mogul Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, Fox is now under the more direct stewardship of his son, Lachlan, who doesn’t appear to exert the same control of Fox’s big names, who appear emboldened, again, by Trump’s win, raising questions over who’s really calling the shots there. The company’s cheerleading for Trump also proved costly as it echoed and amplified falsehoods about the 2020 election’s outcome, leading to the $787 million settlement won by Dominion Voting System.

The media columnist points to “talk-radio titan Rush Limbaugh laughed off the suggestion that having a Republican in the White House would in any way hinder his ability to connect with listeners or make his job harder.”

This occurred 24 years ago, near the end of ex-President Bill Clinton’s presidency.

“Liberals are always my target,” Limbaugh told Lowry before his passing.”The notion I’m going to have nothing to say because Clinton is gone is ridiculous. I’ve always said it doesn’t matter who wins elections.”

Lowry emphasizes, “Of course, the late host liked to say he possessed talent ‘on loan from God.’ To avoid the possible pitfalls of Trump Part II turning into another instance of a disappointing sequel, Fox might need its own assist from a higher power.”

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Lowry’s full column is available at this link.