MAGA media muscles up
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Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
MAGA media is seizing on its new influence in Washington — staffing up, enjoying unprecedented access to power, and making market splashes.
Why it matters: Corporate America has typically shunned right-wing media. But expanded exposure to Washington's powerbrokers is helping MAGA outlets and personalities establish themselves as key media players.
These outlets are landing bigger advertising deals and distribution contracts, and developing stronger talent networks.
- And investors are taking notice.
Zoom in: Fox Corp.'s acquisition in February of Red Seat Ventures, the production company that manages shows from Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson, served as an early market signal of the commercial power of pro-Trump voices with digital platforms.
- Kelly — the fastest-growing right-wing podcaster in the fourth quarter of last year, per The Righting — announced in March that she'll launch her own podcast network, MK Media.
Fox News, which has a straight-news daytime operation and more overtly conservative programming in primetime, raked in 160+ new advertisers between November 2024 and April 2025, according to iSpot data provided to Axios. A Fox spokesperson said there have been 200 new advertisers since the election.
- The Daily Wire's valuation tops $1 billion, Axios reported in December.
- Rumble and Newsmax are each publicly trading at values exceeding $2 billion, despite earning just $30 million and $171 million in revenue last year. Truth Social's parent company is currently valued at more than $5 billion on the public market, despite earning $3.6 million in 2024.
The explosion builds on earlier signs that the pump was primed for right-wing voices to expand.
- Carlson in 2023 raised $15 million to grow his media company.
- Backed by donors including Omeed Malik, conservative operatives dropped over $1 million last year to launch the Washington Reporter, designed to reach conservative members of Congress and staffers.
Reality check: Because most MAGA-affiliated outlets are privately held startups, data on their financial growth is scant.
Zoom out: Beyond the cash flow, these outlets are experiencing unprecedented access to the White House, which reinforces the image they seek as media heavy-hitters.
- Reporters and podcasters like The National Pulse's Raheem Kassam, The Daily Wire's Mary Margaret Olohan and Jack Posobiec have been invited on foreign trips with Cabinet officials.
Since President Trump took office, representatives from outlets including Washington Reporter, The Daily Wire, TownHall.com, Rumble, X and others have appeared at White House press briefings in seats reserved for new media outlets. Other reporters, including from LindellTV and Real America's Voice, are frequently called on to ask questions.
- Even global leaders are engaging: Breitbart's Matt Boyle has interviewed leaders of Cyprus, Greece and Israel.
The big picture: Bans on Trump across most social media platforms following Jan. 6 sparked a massive effort by conservatives to create their own media outlets, news outlets, and tech platforms to combat what they believe is broader corporate leftism.
- Elon Musk purchased X. Peter Thiel and JD Vance invested in Rumble. Kanye West bought (and subsequently sold) Parler.
"Conservatives were exiled from the establishment, legacy media platforms where most Americans used to get their news," Andrew Kolvet, a top adviser for Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA, tells Axios.
- "This forced entrepreneurial creators out into the media wilderness to hone their skills and either sink or swim based on talent. ... Real talent rose to the top and built massive, durable audiences of increasing size and influence."
