President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of Fox News on Tuesday, accusing the conservative network of giving disproportionate airtime to his political rivals while failing to adequately feature his own rallies.
What began as a broader complaint about Fox’s coverage of his events quickly turned into pointed attacks on Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Nebraska independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn.
Trump’s outburst came a day after Fox News announced that his former press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, would join the network as a contributor.
Mitchell Research placed El-Sayed at 46 percent and Republican Mike Rogers at 41 percent, giving El-Sayed a five-point advantage. In the latest 270toWin poll, Osborn held 40 percent support compared with 45 percent for Republican Pete Ricketts.
El-Sayed’s appearance the previous evening on Martha MacCallum’s The Story drew an immediate response from the president.
“Fox News spends more time covering the Jihadist and Dumocrat candidates than they do the good old fashioned Republicans,” Trump wrote.
Pointing specifically to El-Sayed’s interview, Trump dismissed it as a “softball interview” and took aim at MacCallum, writing, “She never interviews me like that.”
He also accused Fox News of neglecting to air footage of his “record breaking Rallies” the next morning.
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed appeared Sunday night on Martha MacCallum’s The Story, prompting a response from the president.
“Fox News spends more time covering the Jihadist and Dumocrat candidates than they do the good old fashioned Republicans,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to El-Sayed’s appearance.
El-Sayed’s interview lasted more than 13 minutes, with MacCallum pressing him on his relationship with billionaire Democratic donor George Soros and his position on corporate political spending.
“Fox is promoting the Dumocrats, not the Republicans and MAGA,” Trump wrote.
“They have totally lost their way!”
El-Sayed’s appearance on The Story the night before was notably extensive by television interview standards.
During the more-than-13-minute exchange, MacCallum questioned El-Sayed about his ties to billionaire Democratic donor George Soros as well as his views on corporate involvement in politics.
For Trump, however, the central grievance appeared to be the decision to give El-Sayed airtime at all.
Another Fox News interview soon drew his attention.
Just 14 minutes after criticizing El-Sayed, Trump returned to Truth Social to complain about Osborn.
“FoxNews is long form interviewing the sleazebag, Dan Osborn, right now,” Trump wrote, appearing to follow the interview as it aired.
“Why are they doing this?”
The President’s criticism of Fox News comes just one day after the network announced that his former press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, would be joining as a contributor beginning Nov. 1
‘Fox News is long form interviewing the sleazebag, Dan Osborn, right now, who is running against our GREAT Republican Senator, Pete Ricketts, from Nebraska. Why are they doing this? Trump wrote on Truth Social
Osborn appeared on America’s Newsroom, and the interview lasted no more than six minutes, focusing partly on leaked comments in which Osborn criticized Trump supporters, as well as his Senate race against his Republican opponent Pete Ricketts
Trump’s frustration with Fox had already boiled over on Sunday morning, when he lashed out at Fox & Friends Sunday over its coverage of his Saturday-night rally in Vandalia, Ohio
Osborn’s America’s Newsroom interview ran no more than six minutes, touching on his leaked criticism of Trump supporters and his race against Republican Pete Ricketts.
On Truth Social, Trump argued Democrats never give Republicans the same exposure and said his presidential victories prove his movement wins despite hostile coverage.
His frustration with Fox had already boiled over Sunday, when he blasted Fox & Friends Sunday for not covering his Saturday-night rally in Vandalia, Ohio.
He claimed his rallies were ‘sold out, with thousands of people trying to get in,’ and warned supporters want them on Fox ‘or they will very quickly stop watching (like I am doing right now!)’
Trump accused the network of giving too much airtime to ‘Communists, Socialists, and Dumocrats,’ criticized The Five co-host Jessica Tarlov and asked: ‘Who makes these decisions at FoxNews?’
He said Fox risked the ratings of ‘FAKE NEWS CNN or MSNOW (MSDNC).’
Tuesday’s outburst is the latest chapter in Trump’s complicated relationship with Fox.
Just weeks ago, Fox stood with CNN, MS NOW and Politico after the White House barred them from its grounds.
It joined ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN in declaring that ‘no administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting.’
The networks suspended pooled coverage of the president until CNN’s access was restored.
Trump’s anger intensified after the 2020 election, when he attacked Fox’s coverage, and flared again in the 2024 primary over coverage he believed favored his rivals.
Our News Outlet reached out to El-Sayed’s campaign for comment.
