Does Donald Trump care more about TV ratings than election results?


After the third straight night of the Democratic convention squashing the TV ratings of last week's Republican convention, former reality TV star Donald Trump is starting to sweat. Trump declared last week that no one would watch the Democrats' shindig, but seeing as that statement looks a little foolish now, his campaign has launched a wave of emails asking supporters not to tune into Clinton's nomination acceptance speech Thursday night, CNN Money reports.
"Unless you want to be lied to, belittled, and attacked for your beliefs, don't watch Hillary's DNC speech tonight. Instead, help Donald Trump hold her accountable, call out her lies, and fight back against her nasty attacks," the email said. While the message was packaged as a fundraising email, its content certainly makes a reader wonder what Trump's priorities here really are.
Nielsen, which records the number of traditional TV viewers for a given broadcast, reports that 26 million viewers watched the first day of the Democratic convention Monday, versus 23 million for night one of the Republican convention last week. On Tuesday, 24 million tuned in again to watch the Democrats, versus 19 million for the Republicans' second day. The third night of festivities pulled in 24 million viewers for the Democrats, edging out the GOP's third night, which pulled 23.4 million.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Controversial GOP plan to sell millions of federal acres hits major roadblock
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Republican Sen. Mike Lee says he'll revisit legislation to sell millions of acres of federally held land to create 'freedom zones' of single family homes
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?
today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
5 high-concept animated science fiction shows for grown-ups
The Week Recommends How filmmakers are using a different medium to bring visionary science fiction to life
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders
-
Mamdani upsets Cuomo in NYC mayoral primary
Speed Read Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani beat out Andrew Cuomo in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary
-
Supreme Court clears third-country deportations
Speed Read The court allowed Trump to temporarily resume deporting migrants to countries they aren't from
-
Judges order release of 2 high-profile migrants
Speed Read Kilmar Ábrego García is back in the US and Mahmoud Khalil is allowed to go home — for now
-
US assessing bomb damage to Iran nuclear sites
Speed Read Trump claims this weekend's US bombing obliterated Tehran's nuclear program, while JD Vance insists the US is 'not at war with Iran'
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulings
Speed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.