After President Joe Biden opted out of the interview for the past two years, former President Donald Trump has agreed to a sit-down with Fox News' chief political anchor, Bret Baier, at Mar-a-Lago. This pre-recorded interview will be broadcast during Fox's pregame show and further segments will be featured on Baier's Special Report the following evening. The Super Bowl, shared among the four major networks—ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox—draws an audience of approximately 100 million viewers in the U.S., making it the most-watched television event annually. Fox's hosting of the game this year aligns well with Trump's favorable rapport with the Rupert Murdoch-owned network.
Trump's initial weeks back in office have been tumultuous, characterized by a flurry of executive orders aimed at dismantling Biden-era policies, mass deportations, and a controversial funding freeze that has sparked a "constitutional crisis." Fox has indicated that Baier's interview will concentrate on the Trump administration's changes since the inauguration and the first 100 days of his presidency. Despite the seemingly congenial setting, Trump has previously criticized Baier, particularly after a June 2023 interview where Baier rigorously questioned him on his 2020 election claims. Trump labeled Baier as "hostile" and expressed his grievances on Newsmax, a rival network.
BREAKING: GOP SENATOR BEHIND ‘TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME’ BILL JUST GOT BUSTED...AND IT’S SERIOUS!
Murdoch's other media outlets, such as the Wall Street Journal, have tempered the conservative media's enthusiasm for Trump's early presidency. The Journal's editorial board has criticized Trump's decisions, including his promotion of a branded cryptocurrency, pardons for January 6 rioters, and tariffs described as the "dumbest trade war in history." Nonetheless, Trump has softened his stance towards Baier, praising the anchor for his "great job" following a contentious interview with Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. Reports also surfaced that Trump's team received questions in advance of a Fox News town hall in January 2024, co-moderated by Baier, though the anchor was not implicated in this incident.
FBI'S MOST WANTED FUGITIVE FINALLY CAUGHT IN MEXICO!
This marks the first time since President Barack Obama established the Super Bowl interview tradition that Fox has selected a news anchor for the presidential interview. Previously, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity conducted these interviews during the Obama and early Trump years. Trump, however, disrupted this tradition in 2018 when NBC hosted the NFL championship. Similarly, Biden abstained from participating in the interviews during the final years of his term, declining engagements with Fox in 2023 and CBS the following year.
