Fox News Viewership Plummets Amid Tensions With Donald Trump

Fox News experienced a significant viewership decline in October 2026, marking its lowest-rated month since December 2023. Preliminary Nielsen data shows total day viewers averaged 1.1 million, a 27% drop from the previous October. The decline was most severe in the 25-54 advertiser demographic, which plunged 32% to 98,000 viewers, the lowest level in 25 years. Prime time viewership also fell 28% year-over-year to approximately 2 million viewers.

This ratings collapse coincides with public friction between Donald Trump and the network. Trump criticized Fox News on Truth Social for interviewing Democratic candidates and reducing live coverage of his rallies, claiming the network is trying too hard to be politically correct. While internal sources suggest executives believe Trump no longer attracts viewers, the network recently resumed live coverage of his rallies ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

Despite the slump, Fox News remains the most-watched cable news outlet, accounting for over 50% of the combined cable news audience. The network also highlighted its digital growth, reporting 3.8 billion YouTube views year-to-date. Meanwhile, competitors saw modest gains, with MS NOW's daytime audience rising 16% and CNN increasing by 3%.