Fox News Tops Viewership for Trump’s Primetime Address

Fox News became the most-watched network in all of television during President Donald Trump’s primetime address to the nation on April 1, 2026. According to Nielsen Media Research Big Data + Panel figures, the network averaged 6.654 million total viewers during the address, which aired from 9:00 p.m. To 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

The viewership numbers for the 30-minute block placed Fox News ahead of the major broadcast networks. CBS followed with 5.1 million viewers, while NBC drew 4.7 million and ABC attracted 3.7 million viewers.

In total, nearly 20 million Americans watched the presidential address across the top broadcast and cable networks.

Cable News Performance and Demographics

Fox News also led cable news competitors in the key demographic of adults aged 25 to 54, recording 1.002 million viewers in that group during the address.

Other cable networks saw lower viewership during the same period. MS NOW, formerly known as MSNBC, recorded 1.910 million total viewers and 265,000 viewers in the Adults 25-54 demographic. CNN followed with 1.676 million total viewers and 339,000 viewers in the same demographic.

Weekly Ratings and Growth Trends

The primetime address was a primary driver of ratings for the week beginning March 30, 2026. For that full week, Fox News averaged 2.763 million total viewers in primetime, representing a 4% increase in total viewers and a 16% increase in the Adults 25-54 demographic compared to the week beginning March 23, 2026.

In total day viewing for the week of March 30, Fox News averaged 1.726 million total viewers and 179,000 viewers in the Adults 25-54 demographic. This marked a 1% increase in total viewers and a 6% increase in the demographic over the previous week’s measurements.

During this period, Fox News ranked first in total primetime viewership among all basic cable networks. In total day viewership, it also finished in first place for total viewers and maintained the third position in the total day demographic.

Impact of Live Programming Events

The viewership surge on April 1, 2026, was part of a broader trend of live events lifting cable news ratings. Earlier that same evening, Fox News also took the lead during coverage of the Artemis II moon mission launch.

Between 6:00 p.m. And 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time on April 1, Fox News drew 3.6 million viewers, surpassing NBC’s 2.8 million and CBS’s 2.2 million. For the full hour of Artemis coverage from 6:00 p.m. To 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Fox News recorded 4 million total viewers and 493,000 viewers in the Adults 25-54 demographic.

During that same hour of space coverage, CNN recorded 2.229 million total viewers and 485,000 viewers in the Adults 25-54 demographic, while MS NOW drew 1.406 million total viewers and 172,000 viewers in the demographic.

Individual Program Performance

The network’s daily lineup maintained consistent strength throughout the week of March 30, 2026. Several programs achieved high average viewership figures:

• Hannity averaged nearly 3.8 million viewers, ranking as the number one show in cable news for the week.
• The Five averaged 3.7 million viewers.
• Jesse Watters Primetime averaged 3.6 million viewers.
• Gutfeld! averaged 3.2 million viewers.

In weekday primetime, Fox News averaged 3.3 million viewers for the week, which was higher than NBC’s average of 2.8 million. For the full Monday through Sunday primetime slot, Fox News averaged 2,763,000 viewers compared to 2,617,000 for NBC.