Rupert Murdoch has been one of Donald Trump’s most important allies in the media for several years. But something seems to be changing.
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Former US President Donald Trump has always had a staunch ally in media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
The 91-year-old Murdoch controls a media empire that includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, and others.
His media is known for its conservative profile, and Fox News in particular has been an important mouthpiece for Trump.
But now it’s been more than 100 days since Trump’s last interview on the channel, according to New York times.
When Trump gave speeches to his supporters, he could count on Fox’s coverage. It now happens all too often that Trump’s appearances are ignored.
Many US media are speculating whether Murdoch is tired of the former president.
vibrating relationship
Two of Murdoch’s newspapers have recently been highly critical of Trump.
Murdoch wrote: “Trump has not proven himself worthy of being the supreme leader of this country again.” New York Post July 22.
“Personality is revealed in times of crisis,” she wrote. The Wall Street Journal same day. This was followed by Trump’s fiasco during the storming of the US Congress on January 6, 2021.
Murdoch’s enthusiasm for Trump is waning, according to several of the media leader’s staff. It’s reports Washington Post.
Murdoch initially criticized Trump as a presidential candidate. “When will Donald Trump stop embarrassing his friends, not least the whole country?” He wrote on Twitter in 2015.
But once Trump named the Republican presidential candidate, the tone changed.
By the time Trump took over the Oval Office, he and Murdoch had developed – or re-established – a friendship of mutual benefit.
Murdoch gained direct access to the White House. Trump has received extensive media coverage and a channel through which he reaches his support base.
It’s hard to be a friend of Trump
In June, hearings on the storming of Congress began. Among other things, the investigative committee documented how Trump ignored all calls to stop the mob for 187 minutes.
Such information may make working as a Trump supporter less profitable.
Robert is a practical man. He knows better than anyone how to read political tea leaves. One Murdoch circle said it was quite clear that many people had begun to challenge Trump’s earlier view. Vanity Fair.
“Being loyal to Trump is profitable, and the minute that stops, they will stop being loyal,” said a former Fox News commentator. Washington Post About the channel’s support for the former president.
Hot name on page six
According to the report, the relationship between Murdoch and Trump goes back a long time Watchman.
Media tycoon Murdoch established himself in the United States in the early 1970s. In 1976 he bought the New York Post, and shortly thereafter launched the gossip section of Page Six.
At this time, 30-year-old Donald Trump had already taken control of his father’s real estate company BBC.
On page six, Donald Trump is quickly becoming a household name.
“Trump is a pathological liar,” Suzanne Mulcahy, former Page Six editor, wrote in her book about her time in the gossip department.
Obviously, Murdoch wasn’t very important, as the two men could take advantage of each other.
Trump’s comments and stories were good entertainment for the newspaper. For his part, Trump had the opportunity to make his mark in Manhattan.
The controversial personality has gone from real estate agent to celebrity.
New Trump
Years later, Murdoch’s Fox News paved the way for the Trump presidency.
Trump has hinted that he wants to be the Republican nominee for president in 2024 as well, according to a number of media outlets, including Watchman.
But can he do that without Murdoch behind him?
Without Fox, I think it could be a problem. He needs a connection to his base, says Jennifer Bailey, a professor of political science at NTNU.
Bailey notes that although some Republicans have now distanced themselves from Trump, there are still many who support him.
But if Murdoch and Fox News decide to promote other conservative figures, Bailey believes the Trump position could be filled.
Is Trump in himself what people want? Several voters are recruited based on the topics he presents. They may be able to find someone else they can support, Bailey says.
You cite Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as an example.
— He’s one of several people who could be the new Trump, she says.
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