Trump’s WSJ Lawsuit Inadvertently Mutes His Biggest Megaphone: Fox News
AP Photo/Mary Altaffer
In what might be the most ironic media move of his career, President Donald Trump’s latest libel lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal may have the unintended consequence of silencing the very media allies he typically relies on to amplify his message — Fox News.
It’s a self-inflicted wound in the form of a legal offensive—one that might mute Trump’s favorite narrative: that the mainstream media is corrupt, liberal, and out to get him.
On its face, the lawsuit fits squarely into Trump’s playbook. Facing an unflattering report by The Wall Street Journal tying him—again—to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, Trump is suing Rupert Murdoch, News Corp, and the reporters behind the piece.
The story in question revolves around a bizarre 2003 birthday tribute book for Epstein that allegedly includes a crude sketch linked to Trump. The lawsuit, according to court filings, alleges that The Journal and its parent companies are liable for libel and slander.
But here’s where it gets messy.
As Trump clearly knows, The Wall Street Journal and Fox News share the same owner, though under different entities. WSJ is owned by News Corp, Fox Corp owns Fox News, and each are ostensibly helmed by the same conservative media mogul: Rupert Murdoch, the very same guy named in the suit. By dragging Murdoch and his flagship broadsheet into court, Trump has inadvertently roped in Fox News—his most reliable and powerful media amplifier—into a story that it now has every incentive to avoid.
In any other scenario, the Trump loyalists that comprise Fox News prime time would fall in line with breathless segments arguing on behalf of Trump and attacking the fake news media. It’s precisely what happened in the Trump lawsuits against ABC News and CBS News, each of which led to lucrative settlements despite the cases being absurd.
But not so much when it comes to an attack on the Fox News boss and their sister outlet? I suspect something rare will occur: relative silence from the top-rated network’s loudest voices.
Fox News hosts have already grown remarkably quiet on this topic. Rare segments, few blaring chyrons, and Friday night there were no primetime rants defending Trump or attacking The Journal for “fake news.” Why? Because legally, ethically, and financially, Fox News can’t weigh in. Covering the story would mean addressing a lawsuit that involves its corporate overlords. And that’s a line no cable host, no matter how loyal to Trump, is likely to cross.
So instead of launching another MAGA-fueled media offensive, Trump finds himself in an odd position: trying to wage war against the media while silencing the only media outlet that would normally carry his water.
It’s hard to overstate just how important Fox News has been to Trump’s political brand. From the early days of his 2016 campaign, through two impeachments and now a second presidency, Fox News has largely served as Trump’s echo chamber, a pipeline to millions of both MAGA and conservative viewers who trust the network implicitly.
When Trump attacks “fake news,” Fox usually joins the pile-on. Except, of course now, when the “fake news” is part of its own corporate family, they cannot help but take a pass.
Without Fox News hosts, Trump’s attacks on The Wall Street Journal will almost certainly land with a thud. Yes, he’s lashing out on Truth Social. Yes, conservative influencers are trying to pick up the slack. But the narrative lacks force without the loudest voice in the right-wing room backing it up.
And there’s a deeper tension here. The Murdoch empire—once seen as Trump’s biggest media ally—is increasingly positioning itself as something more complicated. The Journal has long maintained a traditional editorial firewall, and its news side has earned respect across the political spectrum for serious journalism. Fox News, while still catering to a conservative base, has shown flashes of independence in recent years. Now that Trump is suing Fox News’ corporate sister, the alignment cannot be as tidy as it once was.
This lawsuit only underscores that divide. Trump may think he’s holding the media accountable. But by suing The Wall Street Journal, he’s placed Murdoch’s empire in a defensive crouch—and Fox News in a muzzle.
The result? Trump’s lawsuit isn’t just legally risky. It’s politically toothless.
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.
