Before the US midterms, a wave of triumphs had been predicted for Republicans and a debacle for Democrats. But neither happened. Responsible for this is Donald Trump, the “biggest loser of the party”. At least that’s what the media of billionaire Rupert Murdoch say, which once reported benevolently about him.
The biggest loser of the US midterm elections is Donald Trump. A large part of the American media landscape seems to agree on this. Especially the media, which belongs to the influential empire of billionaire Rupert Murdoch. The Murdoch media is extremely influential in the US and has long reported favorably on Trump. Trump once used his relationship with the media mogul to spread his agenda, above all on his former favorite channel Fox News. Now the tones are different – and Trump reacts offended.
For Trump, what was once his favorite Murdoch media is now just “fake news,” he writes in an online post to his supporters. The New York Post said it was “not great anymore” and Fox News “fought” him until he won in 2016. “Then they couldn’t have been nicer or more supportive,” Trump said. Same game with the Wall Street Journal, which allied with Trump when he eliminated other candidates. “For me, Fox News was always gone, even in 2015-16 when I started my journey. But now they’re really gone.” He added that he now sees an opportunity for a new media venture. He describes DeSantis as an “average Republican governor”. Its advantage? “SUNSHINE,” he writes.
The two Murdochs, Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan, are said to have taken a negative stance on Trump lately. According to people who have spoken to both Murdochs, this is because Trump is still refusing to accept the results of the 2020 election, the New York Times reports. Fox News has faced a $1.7 billion defamation lawsuit for broadcasting some of Trump’s allegations of voter fraud in Arizona. When the Capitol was stormed in January 2021, the Wall Street Journal and New York Post published harsh editorials condemning Trump’s inaction that day.
Republican hopes for a clear victory in the Midterms were dashed on Tuesday. The Democrats performed significantly better than expected – even if it is still unclear who will have the say in Congress in the future. In the Senate, President Joe Biden’s Democrats could defend their wafer-thin majority. In both chambers of Congress, the races are so close that the major US broadcasters have still not declared an overall winner.
The outcome of the election is remarkable because US voters often use the midterms to teach the president’s party a lesson. Biden also has poor poll numbers, partly because of high inflation in the country. Many Republicans accuse Trump of damaging the party with his intervention in the election campaign and the selection of controversial candidates. This weakens the 76-year-old just at a time when he apparently wants to announce a renewed candidacy for the presidency. Trump has long toyed with running for the 2024 presidential election and has promised a “very big announcement” on Tuesday.
