Trump reportedly screamed at Rupert Murdoch over Fox News' early Arizona call


As of Wednesday night, Fox News had one of the most pessimistic maps for the Trump campaign, with the network being one of two outlets to call Arizona for Joe Biden. (The Associated Press is the other.) And you'll never guess who was rumored to be furious that it was his preferred news channel that happened to be the bearer of bad news.
"According to a source, [President] Trump phoned Fox owner Rupert Murdoch to scream about the call and demand a retraction" after Fox's ruling was made just before 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday night, Gabriel Sherman reports for Vanity Fair. "Murdoch refused, and the call stood."
Biden is still ahead of Trump in Arizona, which has 11 electoral votes, meaning that if he wins the state, he'll be a mere six Electoral College votes away from the winning 270. But as more votes came in from Maricopa County on Wednesday night, Trump appeared to be slowly chipping away at his lead.
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.
Still, "Murdoch has been telling associates for months that Trump would lose the election," Vanity Fair reports. And the network's coverage isn't going over well with the Trump team, which is used to Fox being on their side. "Fox News committed news malpractice and voter suppression last night," former Trump adviser Sam Nunberg vented to Sherman. "There's got to be a change there or there will be major consequences. Chris Wallace wouldn't shut up the whole night! I switched to CNN anytime he came on."
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.
-
Fox’s Kilmeade sorry for ‘just kill’ homeless remark
Speed Read Kilmeade’s ‘rare on-air apology’ also served as Fox News’ response to the controversy
-
Russian drone tests Romania as Trump spins
Speed Read Trump is ‘resisting congressional plans to impose newer and tougher penalties on Russia’s energy sector’
-
Trump renews push to fire Cook before Fed meeting
Speed Read The push to remove Cook has ‘quickly become the defining battle in Trump’s effort to take control of the Fed’
-
Russia slams Kyiv, hits government building
Speed Read This was Moscow's largest aerial assault since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022
-
China's Xi hosts Modi, Putin, Kim in challenge to US
Speed Read Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Asian leaders at an SCO summit
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU offices
Speed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping mission
Speed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20
Speed Read The dead include five journalists who worked for The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peace
Speed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest war
Speed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'