The 2026 U.S. midterm elections were viewed as a test of Donald Trump’s potential second term, resulting in a significant victory for the Democrats, who gained control of both the House and the Senate. Following this major defeat, Trump appeared on Fox News around midnight on November 3, where he expressed anger about feeling disrespected by the network. Host Bret Baier responded sharply, and their exchange quickly gained attention online.
During the broadcast, Baier fact-checked Trump regarding midterm polling. With Democrat James Talarico winning in Texas, Baier asked Trump if he regretted not supporting longtime Texas Senator John Cornyn, who lost a primary race to GOP candidate Ken Paxton. Trump stated he was not a fan of Cornyn and labeled him disloyal for previous comments he made about Trump.
Trump expressed surprise at the election results, claiming he thought Republicans would perform better due to the large rallies he held. He also mentioned a CNN poll that indicated his approval rating was 53%, comparing it to much lower numbers for past presidents. Trump criticized Fox News polls, saying they were inaccurate and needed better polling.
Baier pointed out that the results were close to what the Fox polls had predicted. Trump insisted he had been misrepresented by Fox for many years. According to CNN’s polling data, their approval rating for Trump was lower than what he claimed.
Earlier on Truth Social, Trump referred to Fox News in a derogatory manner and accused the channel of misrepresenting his approval ratings. He claimed his numbers were better than ever, attributing Fox’s decline to their opposition to him.
Fox News is considered a “MAGA-friendly” news outlet and has faced criticism in the past for its coverage. Some online users criticized Trump, suggesting he was denying his administration’s influence on the midterm outcomes and having a meltdown during the interview.
Before the midterms, Fox News had predicted that Democrats would take control of both chambers of Congress. A poll conducted shortly before the elections indicated that Democrats were favored in many districts compared to Republicans, with several battleground states likely to determine the overall majority. Analysts pointed to Trump’s policies as a factor in the Democrats’ significant midterm victory.
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Source: Bored Panda, by Analice Couto