Donald Trump is already attacking the coverage he is receiving for the 2024 Election cycle, taking aim at the normally supportive Fox News.
In a post on Truth Social two weeks after he confirmed he was seeking election to the White House again, the former president claimed he is receiving negative press from conservative media networks such as Fox News and the Wall Street Journal, just like he did in 2016.
Trump also gave a backhanded compliment to his old nemesis CNN, suggesting their coverage of him in 2016 was "terrific" when the network "actually had great ratings."
"This Election cycle reminds me so much of 2016, much more so than 2020, where I actually did much better—got 12,000,000 more votes," Trump wrote.
"Fox News and The Wall [Street] Journal were terrible to me, much like today, UNTIL I WON THE ELECTION. CNN, when they actually had great ratings, was terrific—They covered me no matter where I went, 24/7.
"The big difference is my record: Best Economy & Border, No Inflation or Wars, Energy Independence, Record Jobs, Strong Military, World Wide Respect, and sooo much more!"
In the wake of the midterm elections—in which a number of Trump-endorsed candidates lost their races meaning the GOP failed to win the Senate and did not see a "red wave" of House victories—there were signs that Fox News was more willing to criticize the former president and embrace Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as the future of the GOP.
In the days after November 8, Fox News featured a number of commentators who openly called for DeSantis to lead the party in 2024 instead of Trump.
On November 9, the normally conservative Wall Street Journal editorial board published several critical op-eds about the former president, including one headlined "Trump Is the Republican Party's Biggest Loser."
In a November 10 Truth Social post, Trump attacked Fox News and the Wall Street Journal as well as his former close ally "Ron DeSanctimonious" over the suggestion the Florida Governor is the best candidate for the 2024 Republican nomination.
"This is just like 2015 and 2016, a Media Assault (Collusion!), when Fox News fought me to the end until I won, and then they couldn't have been nicer or more supportive," Trump said. "The Wall Street Journal loved Low Energy Jeb Bush, and a succession of other people as they rapidly disappeared from sight, finally falling in line with me after I easily knocked them out, one by one."
The Wall Street Journal editorial board has again criticized Trump in the wake of the former president meeting with white nationalist Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes at his Mar-a-Lago resort, along with Kanye West, who is embroiled in ongoing controversy after making antisemitic remarks.
"Trump hasn't admitted his mistake in hosting the men or distanced himself from the odious views of Mr. Fuentes. Instead Mr. Trump portrays himself as an innocent who was taken advantage of by Mr. West," a November 27 editorial states.
"This is also all-too-typical of Mr. Trump's behavior as President. He usually ducked responsibility and never did manage to denounce the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, or others who have resorted to divisive racial politics, or even violence as on Jan. 6, 2021.
"Mr. Trump isn't going to change, and the next two years will inevitably feature many more such damaging episodes. Republicans who continue to go along for the ride with Mr. Trump are teeing themselves up for disaster in 2024."
Fox News and the Wall Street Journal have been contacted for comment.
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Ewan Palmer is a Newsweek News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on US politics, domestic policy ... Read more
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