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CultureQuiet 9d · day 10

Fox News ratings drop 27% as network navigates Trump fatigue before midterms

An opinion analysis says Fox faces a bind: distancing from a struggling Trump risks its base, but total loyalty carries its own costs.

newest coverage 9d agosummary written 8d ago2 pieces NewswiresGoogle News

What to know

  • Fox News's daily audience fell 27% year-over-year in October 2026, its worst monthly ratings performance in nearly three years, while MS NOW and CNN both posted gains.
  • Fox faces a strategic dilemma: distancing from a weakened Trump risks losing its remaining MAGA base, while continued loyalty has not shielded it from Trump's own criticism.
  • More than two dozen Fox personalities, including Pete Hegseth and Jeanine Pirro, have moved into the Trump administration, underscoring the network's unusually close ties to the White House.
  • The ratings pressure comes amid broader cable news industry disruption, including cord-cutting, Skydance's ownership changes at CNN, and MS NOW's rebrand away from NBC News.

“Fox’s daily audience has dropped a stark 27% over last year in October, its worst monthly performance in almost three years.”

MS NOW opinion, Opinion piece · MS NOW ↗ · Nov 1

Rupert MurdochRupert Murdoch Fox News patriarchDonald TrumpDonald Trump U.S. PresidentPete HegsethPete Hegseth Secretary of DefenseJeanine PirroJeanine Pirro U.S. Attorney for D.C.Karoline LeavittKaroline Leavitt Former White House press secretary

Fox News ratings drop 27% as network navigates Trump fatigue before midterms
ms.now

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articles

Peak 2 pieces in 3h at Nov 2, 9 AM; 2 pieces over 10 days (2 articles) Nov 2, 9 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 1, Newswires 1Nov 2, 12 PM — quietNov 2, 3 PM — quietNov 2, 6 PM — quietNov 2, 9 PM — quietNov 3, 12 AM — quietNov 3, 3 AM — quietNov 3, 6 AM — quietNov 3, 9 AM — quietNov 3, 12 PM — quietNov 3, 3 PM — quietNov 3, 6 PM — quietNov 3, 9 PM — quietNov 4, 12 AM — quietNov 4, 3 AM — quietNov 4, 6 AM — quietNov 4, 9 AM — quietNov 4, 12 PM — quietNov 4, 3 PM — quietNov 4, 6 PM — quietNov 4, 9 PM — quietNov 5, 12 AM — quietNov 5, 3 AM — quietNov 5, 6 AM — quietNov 5, 9 AM — quietNov 5, 12 PM — quietNov 5, 3 PM — quietNov 5, 6 PM — quietNov 5, 9 PM — quietNov 6, 12 AM — quietNov 6, 3 AM — quietNov 6, 6 AM — quietNov 6, 9 AM — quietNov 6, 12 PM — quietNov 6, 3 PM — quietNov 6, 6 PM — quietNov 6, 9 PM — quietNov 7, 12 AM — quietNov 7, 3 AM — quietNov 7, 6 AM — quietNov 7, 9 AM — quietNov 7, 12 PM — quietNov 7, 3 PM — quietNov 7, 6 PM — quietNov 7, 9 PM — quietNov 8, 12 AM — quietNov 8, 3 AM — quietNov 8, 6 AM — quietNov 8, 9 AM — quietNov 8, 12 PM — quietNov 8, 3 PM — quietNov 8, 6 PM — quietNov 8, 9 PM — quietNov 9, 12 AM — quietNov 9, 3 AM — quietNov 9, 6 AM — quietNov 9, 9 AM — quietNov 9, 12 PM — quietNov 9, 3 PM — quietNov 9, 6 PM — quietNov 9, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 9 AM — quietToday, 12 PM — quietToday, 3 PM — quietToday, 6 PM — quietToday, 9 PM — quiet 1
Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 9yesterdaynow · 10:02 PM ET
  1. 1

    Opinion piece says Fox is caught between its base and its access to Trump

    MS NOW opinion argues that as Trump's standing wanes even among supporters, Fox risks alienating its remaining MAGA audience while anything less than full loyalty draws Trump's own criticism, leaving the network facing a precarious new phase after the midterms.

    “the network may be entering a perilous new phase…”
    — MS NOW opinion
    1. 1 outlet Opinion | The midterms have Fox News between a rock and a hard place

      first by MS NOW, 9d ago

      1 more headline
  2. background

    Fox's daily audience drops 27% year-over-year in October — The decline marks Fox's worst monthly ratings performance in almost three years, with its primetime opinion shows also suffering a corresponding slump, even as Fox still leads MS NOW and CNN overall.

  3. background

    Fox settles Dominion defamation suit for nearly $800 million — Fox talents' promotion of Trump's 2020 election fraud claims led to a settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, part of the fallout from the network's post-2020 posture.

  4. background

    Fox News briefly distances itself from Trump after the 2020 election — The network pulled back from Trump immediately following his 2020 loss but returned to full alignment once MAGA loyalists began tuning out and ratings slumped, amid fears viewers would defect to Newsmax.