Trump Lashes Out at Fox News, Accuses Network of 'Defending Democrats'
Former President claims the network has lost its way and is not supporting Republican views ahead of the midterm elections.
Donald Trump has publicly criticized Fox News, accusing the network of prioritizing Democratic viewpoints over Republican ones. The former president voiced his displeasure on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Monday morning.
'Fox spends more time defending Dumocrats, and putting on their views versus their Republican opponent, than at any time in the history of Fox News. It's ridiculous!' Trump wrote. He added that Fox News is 'trying too hard to be politically correct' and directed followers to watch his rally in Kansas on the Right Side Broadcast Network instead.
This latest barrage marks a continuation of recent attacks Trump has made against the network, which has historically been a platform for his political movement. On September 30, he questioned why the network featured figures like Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, and on October 6, he criticized anchor Martha MacCallum for her interview with Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed.
These criticisms come as Fox News' own polling indicates a decline in Trump's approval rating, showing him at 36 percent, with 64 percent of voters disapproving. The network's polls also suggest Democrats hold a nine-point lead over Republicans leading into the November midterm elections.
Republican strategists and leaders are reportedly bracing for significant losses in the upcoming elections. Internal polling has suggested that the party is at risk not only in swing districts but also in historically safe Republican areas. This has led to finger-pointing within the party, with House Republicans blaming Senate leadership, senators privately pointing to Trump, and vulnerable candidates criticizing their own party committees.
A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos survey released shortly before Trump's comments showed his approval rating even lower, at 33 percent among U.S. adults, with 66 percent disapproving.
Concerns are particularly high regarding the Senate map, where the GOP faces threats to its majority. Election forecasters predict Democrats have a significant chance of capturing the Senate, requiring a net gain of four seats. One such closely contested race is in Kansas, where Republican Senator Roger Marshall is in a tight race against Democrat Adam Hamilton. Cook Political Report has reclassified this race as a toss-up.
Trump has publicly supported Marshall, whom he described as 'great' and 'a wonderful person.' Marshall's campaign has been dealing with a report that he sued over 700 patients for unpaid medical bills, which the senator's campaign has called a politically motivated attack.
The internal divisions within the GOP are also evident in fundraising and campaign strategies. Some Republicans believe Trump's consistently low approval ratings and high unfavorable numbers are negatively impacting candidates. There are also reports of infighting between campaign committees, with some members of the National Republican Congressional Committee accusing party leadership of being distracted by internal matters rather than focusing on winning races.