Media outlets owned by conservative media magnate Rupert Murdoch publish editorials slamming Trump within hours of each other.
By World Israel News Staff
The conservative New York Post daily ran a scathing op-ed last Friday that blasted former president Donald Trump, signaling a possible fall-out between the tycoon and media magnate Rupert Murdoch, who owns the Post and whose Fox News Channel has generally been highly supportive of Trump.
Calling Trump’s behavior during the January 6th riots “incitement by silence,” the editorial blamed him for not doing more to stop protesters who stormed the Capitol building.
“It’s up to the Justice Department to decide if this is a crime. But as a matter of principle, as a matter of character, Trump has proven himself unworthy to be this country’s chief executive again,” the paper declared, adding that his failure to intervene was indefensible.
The Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal also published an anti-Trump editorial on Friday within hours of the Post op-ed.
The content of the WSJ editorial was very similar to that of the Post’s, slamming Trump’s character and blasting his alleged failure to order rioters to stand down.
The piece contained effusive praise for former vice president Mike Pence, who certified the election results against Trump’s wishes.
“Character is revealed in a crisis, and Mr. Pence passed his Jan. 6 trial. Mr. Trump utterly failed his,” the op-ed reads.
Last month, the WSJ published an editorial stating that “we need a fresh start” with “a new crop of conservatives,” echoing recent comments by Murdoch that conservatives won’t be taken seriously “if President Trump stays focused on the past.”
Trump has hinted at a potential 2024 presidential run and opinion polls have shown him flouncing incumbent President Joe Biden in such a scenario. But some influential conservative philanthropists and commentators have expressed their preference for a different Republican candidate.
Despite buzz around Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a 2024 Republican candidate, Fox News reported on Saturday that attendees at a conservative Turning Point conference in DeSantis’ home state overwhelmingly expressed a preference for Trump.
A staggering 78.7% of the summit’s attendees said Trump was their preferred candidate, while just 19% said they would vote for DeSantis.