President Trump lashed out at Fox News on election night, attacking the network's personalities, polling and coverage as voters awaited midterm election results.
Why it matters: Trump, who has repeatedly dined with Fox News patriarch Rupert Murdoch and hired talent from the network, has come to expect favorable coverage. But Fox's editorial decisions this election cycle suggest it isn't always willing to oblige.
Driving the news: Trump began the night by criticizing Jessica Tarlov, a Fox co-host and Democratic strategist, saying he'd "go somewhere else" until she was off the air.
- He went as far as to reportedly text her co-host, Greg Gutfeld, to complain.
- His ire then turned toward Fox's political polling, claiming, "Every question is a hit job, and every answer is 'BULLSHIT!'" Around half an hour later, he posted that Fox's ratings were down "because they're spending too much time covering the Trump Deranged Dumocrats!"
- Trump pointed to a "new CNN Poll" as an alternative, touting data demonstrating his strength among MAGA Republicans. But the two CNN polling segments he posted earlier in the night were both well over a month old or older.
State of play: Trump's rocky relationship with Fox News has been a source of tension this election season and in previous elections.
- Fox's coverage of Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has fueled tensions for months, Axios' Alex Isenstadt recently reported. Republicans reportedly worried that Fox was undercutting efforts to brand El-Sayed as far outside the mainstream.
- In late October, Trump posted that Fox was "spending far too much time putting on the OPPONENTS of Republican Party Candidates, people that love our Country, and have Great Policies and Ideas." He added, "That's the only reason this Race is close, if it is indeed close."
- The White House and Fox did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
Meanwhile, Trump's former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, now a Fox pundit, appeared on the network's election night coverage and said she had just spoken with the president.
Reality check: Murdoch, while he is a conservative, has always been passionate about the news business.
- Fox News did, after all, spark Trumpworld's ire by calling Arizona early for former President Biden in 2020.
Zoom in: Fox News' business imperative means focusing on long-term credibility over short-term access and ratings — which took a downward turn last month in the lead-up to the election.
- The ratings decline could suggest some Republican viewers tuned out as pre-election polls pointed to possible Democratic gains. But for Trump, who has tried to make it a referendum on his popularity, it's personal.
Go deeper: Key election night polls close as Trump rages