It seems the media arena is always full of surprises, and this time around, it’s none other than Fox News at the heart of the buzz. The channel, which historically leaned in favor of former President Donald Trump, now seems to be singing a slightly different tune. Steve Bannon, the host of Real America’s Voice “War Room”, shared his insights, claiming that Fox News has gone “all-in” to prevent Trump’s return to the White House.
Bannon’s statements came to light following an intriguing interview on Fox. The conversation implied that Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin might be the GOP’s plan B if Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis fails to overshadow Trump as the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. Bannon did not mince words, stating: “Fox is now all-in, 1,000 percent, on making sure it’s not Donald Trump” who gets the nomination.
Fox’s strategy became even clearer when Steve Doocy, from “Fox & Friends”, interviewed billionaire Youngkin supporter, Thomas Peterffy. Peterffy made a bold prediction that Youngkin could dethrone Trump in the primaries. What’s fascinating is that Peterffy, until recently, was an ardent supporter of DeSantis.
In Bannon’s eyes, billionaires like Peterffy are out of touch with the heart of the MAGA movement and the common American. Bannon didn’t hold back, critiquing, “They are the ones that have been backing these RINO moderate Republicans, who have been the controlled opposition to these radical Democrats… leading us to the brink of financial devastation for the middle and working class.”
Adding to Bannon’s narrative, he observed that both the Republican establishment and Fox News seem to share similar sentiments, as evidenced by Fox Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch receiving rights to host crucial GOP presidential primary debates on Fox platforms. Bannon warned MAGA supporters to brace for a potentially biased narrative that could emerge from these debates, emphasizing Fox’s alleged attempts to push Trump aside.
Bannon even hinted that if Fox had to pick between Donald Trump and more liberal candidates, such as Michelle Obama or Gavin Newsom, they’d choose the latter. He asserted, “If you gave the Murdoch sons and their wives a choice between Donald Trump and Michelle Obama, they’d pick Michelle Obama every day.”
Trump also chimed in with his take on the matter via Truth Social, claiming that Fox News is pursuing a strategy reminiscent of 2016 – trying to determine who can outmatch him from the Republican lineup. While he acknowledged Fox’s reliance on negative polls, he asserted that he remains the strongest contender against Joe Biden.
However, amidst this, a fresh perspective emerged from former President George W. Bush’s speechwriter and current Fox News contributor, Marc Thiessen. He claimed that only a quarter of the GOP primary electorate genuinely backs Trump, indicating a more divided Republican base than might appear.
In wrapping up, what we’re seeing here might be a pivotal shift in conservative media and politics. While Fox News has not openly confirmed its stance, the signs seem clear. Whether this is a strategic move for a broader appeal or an authentic ideological shift remains to be seen. For conservatives, the path to 2024 will be riddled with media speculations, strategy games, and hopefully, a focus on the core values that the GOP stands for.
