Donald Trump Rages at Fox News Coverage of Election Rival

Donald Trump slammed Fox News for its coverage of GOP rival Nikki Haley, accusing the network of "Fake News reports."

Writing on his social media platform, Truth Social, the former president and the clear frontrunner in the Republican primaries said the network was "a joke" for covering Haley, the former governor of South Carolina who is running against him, and claimed donors for his other rival, Ron DeSantis, are now backing him.

"FoxNews should look at these numbers before doing their Fake News reports on Birdbrain," he wrote. "What a joke they are! The DeSanctimonious donors are coming to me (if I even want them, which I don't!), not to, 'I'll never run against President Trump' Haley, who was very average in every way. Just like 2016 all over again. She's not solving Israel, Iran, Ukraine, Inflation, or anything else!"

The influential conservative network has consistently covered the GOP primaries, yesterday publishing a story reaffirming Trump's lead in the polls and on Sunday airing an interview with The Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, who said Democrats may be "a little nervous" if Haley wins the primaries.

Earlier this month, Fox News also published a story saying Haley was rising in the polls in New Hampshire, the state that holds the first primary.

On social media, MAGA activists have accused the network of pushing Haley as their preferred candidate because of supposedly favorable stories and because it has interviewed her a number of times.

Newsweek has contacted Fox News, which has also covered the other Republican candidates, by email to comment on this story.

Meanwhile, a 2024 Republican primary tracking poll from FiveThirtyEight shows that Trump is leading in the race with 59.9 percent of the projected vote. Florida Governor DeSantis is in second place with 12.4 percent, while Haley is at 9.8 percent.

Trump has repeatedly referred to Haley, who confirmed her bid in February as "bird brain," including recently during an Iowa rally in October, where he also called her "a highly overrated person."

He has also snubbed three televised debates with the candidates, citing his lead in polls.

But Trump's rivals do command support from influential figures. In October, Andrew Stein, the Democrat who crossed party lines to back Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 elections, announced he is endorsing Haley.

Meanwhile, Bob Vander Plaats, an influential member of the Iowa evangelical community who supported the last three winners of contested GOP caucuses in Iowa, last week came out in support of DeSantis during a Fox News interview.

"I'm thrilled to throw my personal endorsement and support behind Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida," said Vander Plaats. "We need to find someone that can win in 2024."

Newsweek also contacted representatives of Haley and Trump by email for comment.