Full Breakdown
Fox News and Donald Trump's Intertwined Narrative: A Deep Dive
8/20/2025, 10:50:10 PM
Fox News Personalities and the 2020 Election
Recent court documents from a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit filed by Smartmatic against Fox Corporation reveal that several prominent Fox News personalities, including Jeanine Pirro, Jesse Watters, and Maria Bartiromo, actively sought to support President Donald Trump during the 2020 presidential election. Text messages disclosed in the lawsuit indicate that Watters suggested Fox should fully embrace the "Stop the Steal" movement to boost ratings. Pirro, now the U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., expressed her dedication to Trump and the Republican Party in communications with Ronna McDaniel, then chair of the Republican National Committee. Bartiromo also communicated with Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, urging him to overturn the election results.
The Impact of Internal Communications
The internal communications suggest that Fox executives, including Rupert Murdoch, were increasingly concerned about viewer backlash after calling Arizona for Joe Biden. Murdoch's emails indicated a desire to maintain viewership, which led to the propagation of unfounded claims of election fraud. Smartmatic alleges that Fox knowingly implicated it and Dominion Voting Systems in false narratives to retain its audience, despite being aware of the inaccuracy of these claims.
Criticism and Opposition
Critics argue that Fox News's actions contributed to the spread of misinformation regarding the 2020 election. Smartmatic's lawsuit highlights the network's role in promoting conspiracy theories that undermined the electoral process. In contrast, Fox has defended itself by stating that Smartmatic's claims are exaggerated and that the company’s reputation was already suffering prior to the election.
Trump's Recent Fox News Appearance
In a separate incident, President Trump called into Fox & Friends on August 19, 2025, where he diverted the conversation to discuss the relationship between co-host Ainsley Earhardt and fellow host Sean Hannity. Despite attempts by the hosts to steer the discussion back to pressing issues like the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trump repeatedly returned to the topic of their romance, expressing curiosity about their earnings and wishing them well. This off-topic rambling drew attention and sparked discussions about Trump's focus during critical national conversations.
Official Statements & Responses
Fox News has maintained that the Smartmatic lawsuit lacks merit, asserting that the network's coverage was not responsible for any damage to Smartmatic's reputation. The network's legal team argues that the claims made by Smartmatic are inflated and intended to suppress free speech.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Think about how incredible our ratings would be if Fox went ALL in on STOP THE STEAL.” — Jesse Watters, Fox News Host
- “I work so hard for the President and party.” — Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney
- “I hope I’m not breaking any news.” — Donald Trump, during Fox & Friends call
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While Smartmatic's lawsuit presents a strong case against Fox News, the network's defense claims that Smartmatic's business was already in decline before the election. The ongoing legal proceedings will likely clarify these conflicting narratives, with a judge expected to rule on the case in the coming months.
This intertwined narrative of Fox News and Donald Trump illustrates the complexities of media influence in politics, particularly during a contentious election cycle.
