Full Breakdown
Fox News Host Jesse Watters Confronts Trump’s Low Immigration Approval in Internal Poll
4/25/2026, 7:18:01 AM
Core Event: On-Air Exchange Highlights Trump’s Immigration Rating
During Thursday’s episode of “The Five,” cohost Jessica Tarlov cited a Fox News poll that gave President Donald Trump a minus-8 rating on immigration. Host Jesse Watters replied, “And Democrats are minus-145,000 on immigration,” a figure Tarlov disputed as inaccurate. The brief exchange underscored the difficulty the hosts faced in addressing the poll’s findings.
Background & Context: Minnesota Deployment, Protests, and Prior Messaging
In early 2024 President Trump ordered federal agents to Minnesota, an action that resulted in two civilian deaths and sparked “No Kings” protests. The fallout led to the sidelining of officials such as former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Governor Tim Walz’s forthcoming book will examine the state’s response to the deployment. Earlier, Watters texted fellow host Greg Gutfeld, “Think about how incredible our ratings would be if Fox went ALL in on STOP THE STEAL,” a message linked to Fox’s near-$800 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems for election-related falsehoods.
Data & Statistics: Poll Figures and Settlement Amount
Official Statements & Responses: Fox Poll Release and Programming Choice
Fox News released the immigration poll as part of its audience-metrics reporting, presenting the data without external verification. In a separate Fox Business segment, AI chatbots were prompted to defend the administration’s war in Iran, illustrating the network’s programming alignment with the president’s agenda.
Criticism & Opposition: Tarlov’s Counterpoint
Jessica Tarlov argued that the poll result directly reflects the administration’s actions in Minnesota and broader support for immigrant communities, challenging Watters’ rebuttal and indicating internal disagreement over the network’s immigration narrative.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Donald Trump is minus-8 on immigration in the new Fox News poll. That is all directly linked to the work in support of the immigrant community and also the American community that they did in Minnesota, and I think it’s a story worth telling,” — Jessica Tarlov, cohost on “The Five.”
- “And Democrats are minus-145,000 on immigration.” — Jesse Watters, host on “The Five.”
- “That’s also not true,” — Jessica Tarlov, cohost on “The Five.”
- “Think about how incredible our ratings would be if Fox went ALL in on STOP THE STEAL,” — Jesse Watters, text message to Greg Gutfeld
Why It Matters / Impact: Credibility and Political Implications
The unfavorable immigration rating challenges Fox News’ portrayal of strong presidential support. Reliance on internal polling and the on-air dispute may affect audience trust in the network’s objectivity and shape perceptions of Trump’s standing on immigration.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps: Lack of Independent Verification
The immigration rating originates from a Fox News internal poll; no independent polling data is cited, leaving the figure unverified beyond the network’s own reporting.
What’s Next: Upcoming Book and Future Polling
Governor Tim Walz’s forthcoming book will detail the Minnesota deployment, and Fox News is expected to release additional audience metrics that could further clarify public sentiment on immigration.
