Donald Trump just dumped Fox News for “the foreseeable future.”
The GOP presidential candidate, who has been leading the polls, declared on Wednesday morning that he is boycotting the cable news network in response to being treated “unfairly.”
.@FoxNews has been treating me very unfairly & I have therefore decided that I won’t be doing any more Fox shows for the foreseeable future.
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2015
Do you ever notice that lightweight @megynkelly constantly goes after me but when I hit back it is totally sexist. She is highly overrated! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2015
I think @megynkelly should take another eleven day “unscheduled” vacation.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2015
A day earlier he tweeted, “I am having a really hard time watching Fox News,” and Trump gave a shout out to fans who are following his lead.
“@JodiL792: @FoxNews I have been since you started running & I noticed Meghan Kelly’s attacks. Stopped watching. Only Hannity 4 sure.” Yes! – Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
“@VickyBrush: Do what most of us are doing! Turn off @FoxNews! There is a major boycott going on with them, anyway. Problem solved!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
“@EdwardChelednik: @realDonaldTrump @FoxNews Hey Donald your not alone. I can’t watch it at all. Used to be all i watched. – Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
“@glendabelle_11: @FoxNews Fox has become a supporter of Liberals!They are Not supporting the GOP candidates-especially Trump! Quit watching – Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
As TheWrap previously reported, this seems like as good an indication as any that his tactics to make Fox News viewers rage against the network are working. Conservative voters typically regard Fox News as the network they can trust, and therefore, its endorsement of political candidates has been very valuable.
However, in the wake of the ongoing conflict between Trump and Fox News, along with the entire Republican party, the reality star-turned-politician has figured out how to make loyal viewers turn against the network.
“The irony is he’s almost taking a page from the Murdoch-Ailes playbook in his campaign, in that Fox’s whole approach is ‘we’re the grievance-filled underdog against the establishment and elites,”veteran reporter Mark Feldstein told TheWrap. “Trump is using Jiu-Jitsu to try and turn things against the very network that invented it.”
Fox News has not yet responded to TheWrap’s request for comment, but in August, tensions flared back up after Trump and Fox chief Roger Ailes had already come to an agreement for mutual respect.
“The conspiracy theories about Megyn Kelly’s vacation rank up there with UFO’s, the moon landing and Elvis being alive,” a Fox spokeswoman said in response to Trump asserting that the timing of Kelly’s vacation was based on his post-debate beef with her. “Megyn is on a pre-planned, annual summer vacation with her family, which is much deserved. To imply otherwise, as Donald Trump and his campaign operatives have, is not only wildly irresponsible, but downright bizarre.”