07 Nov 2025
7m

Murdoch's Succession Battle and the Fight for Fox News

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The Rest Is Politics

Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to distance his media empire from Donald Trump has resulted in a strategic failure that threatens both his political influence and family legacy. Author Michael Wolff details how Murdoch, despite privately detesting Trump as "unfit," unsuccessfully attempted to pivot Fox News support toward Ron DeSantis, a candidate who ultimately lacked the charisma to compete for ratings or voter loyalty. This failed intervention underscores a shift in power where the MAGA audience now dictates content more than the mogul himself. The fallout includes the high-profile firing of Tucker Carlson as a "pound of flesh" in the Dominion lawsuit settlement and a deepening rift among Murdoch’s four eldest children. As the 94-year-old patriarch faces his final chapters, his lifelong ambition to maintain a unified family dynasty is crumbling under the weight of the very political polarization he helped create.

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