Fox’s Bret Baier: ‘Of Course’ Trump Helped Break ‘Trust’ in Media

Fox News anchor Bret Baier credited President Donald Trump as the person who “broke the system” and undermined what was left of public trust in the media.

“Of course, yeah, he kind of broke the system,” Baier said bluntly during an interview with Politico Playbook’s Deep Dive podcast. “And maybe that was part of his MO, what he wanted to do.”

Baier, Fox’s chief political anchor and longtime Special Report host, noted that Trump tapped into a real and growing skepticism among voters: “Middle America didn’t trust what they were getting from a lot of media.”

That deep-rooted mistrust has only accelerated during Trump’s second term, with repeated attacks on news organizations he deems unfriendly, including outlets like CNN, NBC, and even Fox News itself.

Trump’s media warpath hasn’t spared Baier’s own network, which he’s slammed over unfavorable polling and commentary. While he’s plucked Fox contributors to serve in his administration the president has also called out and berated hosts.

Public confidence in legacy outlets has dropped in recent years. A Gallup survey conducted just ahead of the 2024 election found only around 30% of Americans have a “great deal” of trust in the media to report fairly and accurately.