Trump tells Rupert Murdoch that national outlets are less important

According to an insider who spoke to Axios, President Trump observed that major publications like the Washington Post, the New York Times and MS NOW have lost their previous significance and experienced a decline in quality. The remarks came during a dinner Trump hosted on Tuesday for News Corp. executives, including Rupert Murdoch, in the White House residence.

The intimate gathering included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, White House communications director Steven Cheung, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Axios reported that News Corp. was represented alongside Murdoch by News Corp. CEO Robert Thomson, News UK CEO Rebekah Brooks, New York Post editor-in-chief Keith Poole, WSJ editor-in-chief Emma Tucker, and WSJ editorial page editor Paul Gigot.

Legal friction and subscription growth at the Wall Street Journal

The dinner occurred amid a prolonged legal battle between the president and the Wall Street Journal. Trump sued the Journal for $10 billion in 2025 regarding a story that described a bawdy birthday letter bearing the president’s name that was reportedly given to Jeffrey Epstein. A federal judge dismissed the defamation lawsuit in April, and Trump filed an amended complaint in May, which the Journal moved to dismiss again in June. The judge has not yet ruled on the new dismissal.

During the dinner, Trump asked about the Journal’s business and was told that digital and print subscriptions were up, a source told Axios. While the dinner was described by a source as cordial and meant to reset the relationship, separate sources noted that dinners between Trump and Murdoch happen frequently simply to touch base. Neither News Corp. nor the White House provided comment on the event.

Policy discussions and 2028 outlook

Beyond media criticisms and business updates, the group discussed the Iran war, Venezuela, Cuba, immigration, tariffs, the midterms, and potential 2028 presidential candidates. Trump expressed confidence about the upcoming midterms because he is actively campaigning every day. He also stated that it was too early to decide whom he would support in the 2028 presidential race.

The discussions took place against the backdrop of regular meetings between Trump and Murdoch.