Trump Nearly Banned From Fox news in 2020,Newly Released Documents Reveal
Newly unsealed court documents reveal that Fox News nearly barred donald Trump from appearing on its network in 2020,after the than-president threatened to seek coverage elsewhere and repeatedly attacked the network’s reporting. The internal discussions, stemming from a lawsuit filed by voting technology company Smartmatic, offer a rare glimpse into the strained relationship between Trump and the media outlet that had long been a key platform for his messaging.
for years, Donald Trump has been a prominent figure on Fox News. However, a significant rift emerged during his 2020 reelection campaign. In May 2020, Trump publicly threatened to “find a new network,” alleging that Fox News was “a much different place than it used to be.”
Lachlan Murdoch, Fox Corporation CEO, responded directly to the threat. In the message, Lachlan stated bluntly that Trump would no longer be welcome on air if he continued his attacks. “Sean, sorry, but the president is not coming back on air if he uses it to attack us,” he wrote, adding, “It is the same rule we have with the other side. This is a golden rule.”
The Guardian noted that Trump had, in fact, insulted Fox during an interview with Hannity on the very same day, stating that the network was “a much different place than it used to be.” Hannity’s response to Lachlan’s warning remains redacted. Despite the threat, Fox continued to cover Trump extensively in the lead-up to the election and in the aftermath, as he falsely insisted the results where rigged in favor of then-candidate Joe Biden.
The court documents, related to Smartmatic’s $2.7 billion defamation suit against Fox over its coverage of the 2020 election and Trump’s claims of election fraud, also reveal internal disagreements among Fox hosts. One exchange indicated that Hannity anticipated Trump would concede the election.
Despite the lack of evidence supporting claims of widespread election fraud, Trump continued to challenge the results, culminating in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.Hannity previously confirmed in a deposition related to a separate defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems that he did not believe the election results were fraudulent. Fox settled that case with Dominion in April 2023 for $787 million, according to the Associated Press.
Further internal discord was revealed in correspondence showing Hannity taking issue with an episode hosted by Tucker Carlson that was critical of one of Trump’s lawyers. Hannity reportedly noted that “Trump peopel are pissed.” In a separate November 9, 2020, exchange, Carlson reportedly referred to Trump as a “total piece of s—,” while also stating that he should concede the election, acknowledging that Fox had no real control over the former president. “Got to do the responsible thing nonetheless of how he behaves,” Carlson added.
Even Rupert Murdoch weighed in, expressing pride in the network’s coverage in a January 8, 2021, email. He wrote that he was “very proud of our coverage” of the election, “especially” proud of their urging of Trump to accept the results, stating that his “denunciations only confirm the work of all our journalists to find and report the truth.” He also acknowledged that while Fox had not personally supported Trump, it had “enthusiastically endorsed many of his and the administration’s policies.”
Fox addressed the newly released documents and the Smartmatic lawsuit in a statement, asserting that Smartmatic’s business and reputation were already suffering before any claims made by Trump’s legal team on fox News, and that the company had “grossly inflated its damage claims.” The statement also referenced criminal charges against smartmatic in the Philippines and a government motion to include evidence of the company’s dealings in Venezuela and Los Angeles County, stating that Fox was “eager and ready to continue defending our press freedoms.”
Despite Lachlan Murdoch’s 2020 warning, Trump has continued to appear on Fox News, even granting host Laura Ingraham a tour of the White House in November. This ongoing relationship underscores the complex dynamic between the former president and the network that, despite moments of conflict, remains a vital platform for his political messaging.
