Last night’s town hall marks the first time that Fox News has aired a live event with Trump as the relationship between the former president and the nation’s most-watched cable news channel has gotten frosty in recent years. As the New York Times reports, however, it’s a mutually beneficial relationship right now as Trump looks to be the likely nominee in 2024:
In an interview, Bret Baier, Fox News’s chief political anchor, who is moderating the Wednesday event alongside the anchor Martha MacCallum, did not shy away from acknowledging the volatility of the relationship.
“We’re one Truth Social post away from some different feeling,” he said.
Despite the wariness, both sides found reasons to agree to Wednesday’s town hall.
Judging by his poll numbers, many conservatives remain enthralled by Mr. Trump, and keeping the potential Republican nominee at arm’s length would erode Fox News’s credibility with a core audience. While Mr. Trump has told confidants that he believes Fox News has lost some influence with Republican voters, it remains the highest-rated cable network and home to influential conservatives like Mr. Hannity and Jesse Watters.
Furthermore, the town hall gives Mr. Trump a chance to dunk on both his presidential rivals and one of his media bêtes noires: CNN.
