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Last week, Trump supporters raged upon learning that Fox News will impose restrictions on how clips from the network’s GOP presidential primary debate next week can be used.
The tantrum epitomizes Fox News’ fall from grace in the eyes of many ardent conservatives — and shows how former President Donald Trump and his supporters may be looking to go to war with the network.
On Thursday, Trump-supporting podcaster Chris Stigall tweeted that Fox will prohibit media from airing debate excerpts longer than three minutes for seven days afterward, and he added that Fox won’t allow any debate footage after that seven-day period.
“This has never been done and deserves a legal challenge,” Stigall wrote.
In reality, these restrictions appear to have been in place during the 2016 primaries. But in right-wing circles online, they’re receiving scrutiny like never before.
Some right-wingers are accusing the network — and even Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel — of censorship.
A few things might explain this.
Trump has hinted that he might skip the debate, and this outcry over the rules shows how Fox News has become a foil to the far-right conservatives most loyal to him. Going at the network allows Trump and his followers to portray themselves as anti-establishment figures. Trump supporters have used attacks on McDaniel in a similar fashion.
This tantrum also shows how Fox has fallen out of favor with some staunch right-wingers ever since it parted ways with white nationalist host Tucker Carlson, which has driven some of these people away from the network.
The conservative outrage machine is in full swing. For decades, Fox News was in total control of it. But now Trump and his supporters are at the helm, and Fox is getting a taste of its own medicine.