President Donald Trump’s frustration with Fox News may have a simple explanation involving a subject he frequently talks about — ratings.
That’s according to Scott MacFarlane, chief Washington correspondent for the MeidasTouch Network, who was asked Tuesday during an appearance on CNN about Trump’s latest attacks on Fox and whether the president was worried about the network giving airtime to political opponents.
“It’s all capitalistic,” MacFarlane told CNN’s Brianna Keilar.
Fox has been platforming Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed because “he seems to do well for their ratings,” MacFarlane argued, adding that the network’s right-leaning audience appears interested in hearing from him.
“It engages their audience,” he added. "For better or for worse for El-Sayed, people seem to want to hear from him.”
But that may not extend to Trump.
“It’s not necessarily the case that they want to hear extemporaneous remarks at rallies right now from Trump,” MacFarlane said.
“Trump’s rallies have been going through this void on Fox News. They haven’t been platformed, Brianna,” he continued. “That frustrated the president.”
MacFarlane suggested there may be little Trump can do about it if Fox’s audience simply isn’t interested.
“I’m also not sure he’s got a cure for that, because it may not be engaging their audience,” he concluded.
MacFarlane: Fox is platforming El-sayed because it seems to do well for their ratings. It engages their audience. People on Fox seem to want to hear from him. It's not necessarily the case that they want to hear extemporaneous remarks at rallies right now from Trump. Trump's rallies have been going through this void on Fox News. They haven't been platformed. That frustrates the president. But I'm also not sure he's got a cure for that, because it may not be engaging their audience…
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 6, 2026
