Four years prior, Fox News faced significant backlash after announcing President Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump in the critical state of Arizona on election night. During this year’s election, the contrast from that moment became apparent.
On the morning following the recent election, Fox News was not the first to announce Trump’s win against Kamala Harris; that distinction went to newer outlets like NewsNation, Newsmax, and Scripps Networks. However, Fox’s declaration arrived nearly four hours ahead of major networks such as ABC, CBS, and CNN.
The response from Trump supporters at his victory celebration in West Palm Beach was electric when Fox’s announcement was broadcast, indicating this call was far more favorable among viewers than the 2020 Arizona call. Chris Stirewalt, currently with NewsNation and formerly with Fox, noted, “When you enjoy the outcome, you embrace the process.”
Fox News presenters hailed Trump’s win as a monumental political comeback, with Bret Baier remarking that it was “the biggest political phoenix from the ashes story we have ever seen.” In a way, Fox itself has staged a comeback following its prior troubles.
The Arizona declaration made in 2020 angered both Trump and many Fox viewers, triggering intense second-guessing within the network and paving the way for conspiracy theories to flourish. Ultimately, this situation cost Fox a staggering $787 million in a defamation settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.
NewsNation made its election call at 1:22 a.m., accurately informed by the elections forecasting firm Decision Desk HQ. Scripps and Newsmax followed closely behind with their declarations. At around that hour, Baier commented that while the situation was still fluid, Harris had no viable path to victory, with Fox making its definitive call at 1:47 a.m.
The Associated Press confirmed Trump’s win at 5:34 a.m., joined shortly afterward by major networks ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN. The AP’s announcement followed its projection of Wisconsin going to Trump, concluding that uncounted votes in Milwaukee would not be sufficient for Harris to close the gap.
Stirewalt found it particularly ironic that he was now at NewsNation since he had been ousted from Fox over the Arizona call in 2020, despite being proven accurate. He described the moment for NewsNation as not just a victory for traditional journalism but also a personal vindication, reminding that “numbers should speak for themselves.”
He refrained from condemning other networks for their cautious approach, acknowledging the reverberations from the previous election cycle. The positive reception of Fox’s call was evident on social media platforms, despite the networks’ insistence that its decisions are not politically driven. Stirewalt praised the credibility of Fox’s decision desk, led by the esteemed Arnon Mishkin.
Even with the emergence of a robust conservative media landscape, Fox News continues to dominate the ratings. On election night, Fox pulled in an average of 9.7 million viewers, far surpassing second-place ABC News, which garnered 5.7 million. In contrast, competitors Newsmax and NewsNation attracted significantly fewer viewers, tallying 947,000 and 237,000, respectively.
Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott expressed pride in the team’s dedication to providing superior reporting to a broad and diverse audience. Trump maintains a complicated relationship with Fox, having been a frequent presence on its shows while simultaneously expressing dissatisfaction on social media when displeased with their coverage.