Trump demands Fox News stop negative ads

A bold claim on Fox & Friends

During an extended appearance on Fox & Friends Friday morning, former President Donald Trump made headlines with his declaration that he is “the most stable human being”. Trump also expressed his frustration with the network, accusing it of not exclusively supporting his reelection campaign and airing ads that favor Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential bid.

Trump’s grievances and plans

Flanked by Fox & Friends’ four co-hosts on the show’s iconic “curvy couch,” Trump focused on his ongoing 2024 campaign, his rivalry with Harris, and the recent Al Smith charity dinner in New York. At the event, he delivered a speech featuring jokes penned by Fox News staff, though he was not impressed with their work, openly criticizing their writing during the show.

“Well, I’ve had a lot of people helping,” Trump said. “A lot of people. A couple of people from Fox. I shouldn’t say that. But they wrote some jokes and, for the most part, I didn’t like any of them.”

Echoes of the past

Later in the program, Trump revisited his famous “very stable genius” comment from his 2016 debate with Hillary Clinton. Responding to questions about Harris’s critiques labeling him as “unstable” and “unhinged,” Trump declared, “I am the most stable human being”.

“Every week they try something else. So far, it hasn’t worked. I guess that’s the attack they have for this week. It doesn’t seem to be working. I am the most stable human being. Remember they said ‘a stable genius?’” Trump asked the hosts. “I am the most stable human being. I’ve been doing this for a long time. We had four years of greatness. We had the greatest economy in history. We had the greatest border.”

A plea to Rupert Murdoch

In a surprising twist during his appearance on Fox & Friends, Trump revealed his plan to directly appeal to Rupert Murdoch, the founder of Fox News’ parent company, News Corp, to halt negative ads against his campaign for 21 days. This request comes as Election Day, November 5, fast approaches. Trump stated his intent to discuss with Murdoch stopping all negative commercials and commentary against his campaign to secure a victory.

“I’m going to see Rupert Murdoch. That’s a big event,” Trump told the hosts. “I don’t know if he’s thrilled that I say it. And I’m going to tell him something very simple because I can’t talk to anybody else about — don’t put on negative commercials for 21 days, don’t put them on, and don’t put on their horrible people that come and lie.”

The impact of negative ads

Earlier in the show, Trump discussed how negative ads from Harris’s campaign affect his own efforts. He reminisced about the days when such ads were less prevalent and expressed his desire to return to those standards.

“In the old days, you never played negative ads. In other words, when I leave here, I’ll then be hit by five or six ads,” Trump said on Friday. “When I leave, I’ll have 12 people from Kamala on, and pretty much unopposed. For 19 days, I don’t think we should do that anymore. I think you shouldn’t play negative ads. It’s very tough.”

The Murdoch legacy

Trump’s upcoming meeting with Rupert Murdoch comes after Murdoch, 93, stepped down as chairman of News Corp last fall, passing the role to his son, Lachlan Murdoch. While Rupert Murdoch retains the honorary title of Chairman Emeritus on all five of the company’s boards, the extent of his influence on the network remains unclear.

A glimpse at the campaign trail

Also featured during Friday’s Fox News segment was a visit Trump made to a barbershop in the Bronx. The visit included a Q&A session with the staff of Knockout Barbershop in the Castle Hill area of the borough. The segment was part of correspondent Lawrence Jones’ ongoing series, exploring the issues impacting the Black community and driving votes in the upcoming election.

During this visit, a pro-Palestinian protestor garnered attention by attempting but failing to light a flag on fire, leading to their arrest. Trump had not yet arrived at the location, so the incident did not directly involve him.

Trump’s outreach efforts

Trump’s barbershop visit is part of his broader strategy to connect with various communities and address key issues as he campaigns for the 2024 election. His interactions at such events provide insights into his approach to reaching voters and addressing their concerns.

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