Former President Donald Trump responded to Rupert Murdoch's decision to step down as chairman of Fox Corporation and executive chairman of News Corp with a scathing message about Mitch McConnell.
"Many people are saying that,' You forced Rupert Murdoch into retirement!' I do not believe this is so, but while we're at it, how about getting rid of 'Democrat' Mitch McConnell, who gives the Radical Left Lunatics, together with his small band of automatic "yes" votes, EVERYTHING they want. There is ZERO Republican Leadership in the United States Senate. MAGA!!!" Trump wrote in a Friday post on TruthSocial.
In a memo sent to Fox employees that was obtained by Newsweek on Thursday, Murdoch said, "For my entire professional life, I have been engaged daily with news and ideas, and that will not change. But the time is right for me to take on different roles, knowing that we have truly talented teams and a passionate, principled leader in Lachlan [Murdoch, his son] who will become sole Chairman of both companies."
Over the past few months, Trump has criticized Fox News and skipped the first Republican primary debate hosted by the network in August. Instead, Trump participated in an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson on the social media site X, formerly Twitter.
Prior to his decision to skip the debate, Trump spoke with Fox News' Brett Baier and criticized the network, calling it "hostile."
"Why would I allow a hostile network and then allow people that are polling at zero?" Trump asked during the interview with Baier.
During his interview with Carlson, Trump spoke further about Fox News, saying it was a "terrible move" for the network to fire the former host.
"You're No. 1 on television and all of a sudden we're doing this interview, but we'll get bigger ratings doing this crazy forum that you're using than probably the debate," Trump said.
Trump has also claimed that Fox has refused to show different polls for the 2024 presidential election.
"Why won't Fox (Fox & Friends!) show the National Poll that THEY just did. They refuse to put it up, even after spending all of that money. SHOW THE POLL!!! If they don't show it, I'll put it up later!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday.
A new book by Michael Wolff, The Fall: The End of Fox News and the Murdoch Dynasty, which was obtained by Newsweek, said that both Rupert and his eldest son, Lachlan, have both criticized Trump over the past few years.
"Trump's death became a Murdoch theme: 'We would all be better off ...' 'This would all be solved if ...' 'How could he still be alive, how could he?' 'Have you seen him? Have you seen what he looks like? What he eats?'" Wolff wrote in the book, alluding to Rupert Murdoch.
Wolff also claimed in the book that Lachlan Murdoch said his family cried after Trump won the 2016 presidential election.
Update 09/22/23, 9:35 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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