Trump talks 2028, midterms and media woes at Murdoch dinner
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Donald Trump and Rupert Murdoch. Photos: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images.
President Trump ragged on several mainstream news outlets, including the Washington Post, New York Times and MS NOW, at a dinner he hosted Tuesday for News Corp. executives, including Rupert Murdoch, a source familiar with the event told Axios.
Why it matters: The dinner, which the source described as cordial, comes amid a prolonged legal battle between the president and the Wall Street Journal.
- Trump sued WSJ for $10 billion in 2025 for a story in which it described a "bawdy" birthday letter bearing the president's name that was reportedly given to Jeffrey Epstein.
- A federal judge tossed the defamation lawsuit in April and Trump filed an amended complaint in May. The Journal sought to again dismiss the complaint in June. The judge has yet to rule on the new dismissal.
Zoom in: The dinner took place in the White House residence, underscoring its intimate nature.
- It was attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House communications director Steven Cheung, the source said, in addition to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Breaker first reported Bessent and Wiles' attendance, alongside details of the event on Wednesday.
- Representing News Corp. alongside Murdoch was News Corp. CEO Robert Thomson, News UK CEO Rebekah Brooks, New York Post editor-in-chief Keith Poole, WSJ editor-in-chief Emma Tucker and WSJ editorial page editor Paul Gigot, Axios confirmed.
State of play: During the dinner, Trump asked about the Journal's business and was told digital and print subscriptions were up, the source said.
- He at one point remarked that other national outlets, such as the Washington Post, the New York Times and MS NOW aren't as important as before and that their quality had "come down," according to the source.
Between the lines: The group also discussed the Iran war, Venezuela, Cuba, immigration, tariffs, as well as the midterms and potential 2028 presidential candidates.
- The president said he felt bullish about the midterms because he is now going out on the campaign trail every day, according to the source.
- He also said it was too soon to make a decision around who he would support in 2028.
- News Corp. did not comment. The White House did not comment.
The big picture: The dinner, which Breaker noted was meant to "reset the relationship" between the two parties, is notable because of how many people were involved. But dinners between Trump and Murdoch happen pretty frequently "simply to touch base," a separate source said.
