Former President Donald Trump boasted about his contribution to the liberal media’s decline in approval ratings Sunday.
“I am proud to inform you that the Lamestream Media has hit the lowest approval ratings ever recorded. I think it would be fair to assume that I had something to do with that,” the former president said in a statement. “They are not only dishonest and corrupt, they are truly, according to a recent poll, the enemy of the people.”
A Hill-Harris X poll published July 2 showed that one-third of Americans view the media as the “enemy of the people.” Media coverage of Trump had been overwhelmingly negative, with 92% of the press giving the former president negative coverage in May.
Trump ripped CNN and MSNBC’s “record low” approval ratings saying it is “great news” for Americans. (RELATED: ‘A Wonderful Thing To See’: Trump Celebrates Plummeting TV Ratings Since He Left Office)
“In a similar category, CNN’s ratings are down a whopping, and record-setting, 79% and likewise, horrible numbers at MSDNC (Joe Scarborough and his lovely wife, Mika [Brzezinski], are at record lows),” the statement read. “These developments are great news for the American People!”
Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” had nearly 1,000 fewer viewers than its counterpart, “Fox & Friends,” according to The Wrap. The former president previously attacked Scarborough and Brzezinski’s ratings before he left office in August 2020, according to Deadline.
“Very poor morning TV ratings for MSDNC’s Morning Joe, headed by a complete psycho named Joe Scarborough and his ditzy airhead wife, Mika, and also @CNN, headed by complete unknowns,” Trump said in a 2020 tweet. “Congratulations to @foxandfriends on dominating the mornings (thank you President Trump!).”
In June 2021, CNN had an average of 580,000 daily viewers, losing 49% from the previous year. Likewise, MSNBC lost 37% of its total audience in comparison to 2020. From January to June 2021, CNN lost 69% of its viewers while MSNBC lost 54% of its viewership in contrast to Fox News that lost only 14% of its viewers during the same period.
Fox News currently holds more primetime viewers than both of its competing outlets combined, according to the Adweek Network.
In May 2021, Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight, Hannity, and The Five were the three top-rated cable news shows, according to Adweek. MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show held fourth place, followed by Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle and Special Report with Bret Baier.