A significant release of legal documents has exposed the severe internal strain at Fox News during the final months of the 2020 presidential election and its aftermath, detailing high-level concerns over viewer backlash and direct conflict with then-President Donald Trump.
According to the newly public records, Fox Corp CEO Lachlan Murdoch issued a firm directive to top host Sean Hannity in October 2020. In a text chain that included his father, Rupert Murdoch, and Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott, Lachlan Murdoch stated that Trump would not be permitted back on the air if he used the platform to attack the network. “The president is not coming back on air if he uses it to attack us,” Murdoch wrote, describing it as a fundamental rule applied to all political figures.
The tension escalated dramatically following the election. Internal communications show network leadership acutely aware of a furious backlash from its core audience. In a November 2020 email, Rupert Murdoch noted the network was “Getting killed in audience numbers,” and that while it wouldn’t impact subscription revenue immediately, advertising was at risk. Lachlan Murdoch responded that the issue was “Keeping me awake at night.”
Hannity, in a separate message to a producer, starkly summarized the sentiment from Trump’s supporters: “Trump people hate Fox. Hate hate hate.”
The documents also reveal internal debate over the network’s pivotal, and controversial, election night call of Arizona for Joe Biden. While the network publicly stood by its decision, an email from Suzanne Scott indicated Lachlan Murdoch had suggested the call could be reversed if Biden’s lead fell below a one-percent margin. Scott noted she was not recommending such a move at that time.
In the weeks following the January 6 Capitol attack, Rupert Murdoch expressed frustration in an email, stating he was “still getting criticism for [Fox News Channel]. Saying leading voices encouraged stolen election bullshit and pushed Jan 6 rally.” In the same communication, he advocated for the swift removal of host Lou Dobbs, writing, “Just take him off the air and negotiate later.” Dobbs’ program was canceled the following month.
The released files include deposition transcripts from the Murdochs related to a defamation lawsuit filed by voting technology company Smartmatic. When asked if he took steps to ensure Fox hosts did not endorse stolen election claims, Rupert Murdoch answered, “No. No.” He added that he was “very happy [with] the way Fox News was handling it.”
However, he acknowledged the network attempted a difficult “pivot” after the election by “moving away from our support of Trump,” a challenge given the pro-Trump leanings of its audience. “We didn’t want to upset them totally,” he stated.
Lachlan Murdoch, in his own testimony, defended the network’s coverage, arguing the president’s claims were inherently newsworthy. “We did not make the allegations… We reported those allegations,” he said, adding that the network did not apologize for reporting on the sitting president’s statements.
The document release comes as Fox News continues to contest Smartmatic’s lawsuit, with a Fox spokesperson asserting the company has “grossly inflated its damage claims.” A judge recently denied Fox’s attempt to delay the civil trial pending a separate criminal case against Smartmatic overseas. Arguments for summary judgment in the case are expected next month.