As Fox News Beats the Drums of War Trump Sinks in the Polls
A condensed overview of 28 hours of Fox News for the week ending 6/22/25
Last week before Trump decided to bomb three nuclear sites in Iran Fox News was more than happy to encourage him to start a new war in the Middle East - something he vowed he would avoid during his 2024 presidential campaign.
When Fox News hosts weren’t standing in front of maps of Iran or going over various animated displays of bunker busting bombs, they were downplaying anti-Trump protests, demonizing Democrats and ignoring the fact that their glorious leader’s approval rating was dropping in multiple polls.
Traditionally the American public tends to sour on foreign wars quickly even if they were far more popular when they started. Fox News hosts seemed determined to sell Trump as a president dedicated to peace while pummeling Middle East countries with 30,000-pound bombs.
Shows I covered last week:
Fox & Friends
Fox & Friends Weekend Sunday
The Five
The Ingraham Angle
Hannity - two-hour special on 6/21/25
Fox News at Night - two-hour special on 6/21/25
Special Report with Bret Baier - special Sunday night edition
The Big Weekend Show
Life, Liberty & Levin
Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy
One Nation with Brian Kilmeade
Trump is Tanking in the Polls
Last Friday on “The Five” Jessica Tarlov, one of the few liberal voices on the network, managed to get out that Trump’s approval rating was dismal in several polls. During a discussion about Trump, Iran and Israel Tarlov was being drowned out by her co-host Kayleigh McEnany who continually interrupted her.
“Talk about our own poll, Quinnipiac, the Fox News poll,” said Tarlov.
Trump scored poorly across multiple categories in the latest Fox News poll. I pulled the graph above directly from Fox News.
I created this graph based on data from a poll published on June 11, 2025.
This graph represents data from a Newsweek article from June 25, 2025 that included results from several recent polls. Pollsters from Trafalgar Group and Insider Advantage are frequent guests on Fox News. They often appear side by side in segments on the most popular Fox News programs.
Trafalgar Group made some of the worst predictions for the 2022 midterm elections. In some cases, races that were supposed to be too close to call end up being landslides for Democratic candidates.
Nate Silver, a statistician and political analyst, rated Trafalgar as the most right leaning polling group on his Substack newsletter ‘Silver Bulletin’ for the last presidential election. Insider Advantage was also included among polling groups that favored Donald J. Trump.
The Folks at Fox Invented Reality Again
On Monday on “The Five” Jesse Watters insisted Iran was pleading with Trump to make a deal with the United States.
“The Israelis say no. They call them fake talks. They think they're going nowhere and we're getting strung along. Donald Trump disagrees. He thinks there can be a deal that was put together. And at this point, the Iranians have no leverage. And so it looks like they're kind of begging to come back to the negotiating table. And Donald Trump isn't ready to do the deal yet,” said Watters.
Later that night Kayleigh McEnany insisted Iran was desperate for a deal when she hosted “The Ingraham Angle.”
“As we look at all this and piece it together, President Trump said the 60 day deadline has passed. This is as Tehran is begging to come back to the negotiating table.”
On Friday Fox News included a clip of an Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian minister of foreign affairs speaking from Geneva, Switzerland.
Sean Hannity included the media clip as part of his special Saturday night coverage the night the U.S. military bombed three nuclear sites in Iran.
“We are not seeking negotiations. It is the Americans who want talks. They sent messages several times - very serious ones. But we made it explicitly clear to them that as long as this aggression and invasion continues, there's absolutely no room for talk or just policy. We are engaged in legitimate self-defense,” said Araghchi.
Trump Thought He Could Make a Better Deal Than Obama - He Couldn’t
Several Fox News hosts mentioned The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) the agreement between the United States, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Iran that was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231 on July 20, 2015, during the Obama administration.
The agreement was meant to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. The JCPOA included:
For 25 years continuous monitoring of lran’s uranium mines and mills
For 20 years continuous monitoring of lran’s centrifuge production facilities
For 15 years Joint Commission oversight of IAEA access requests to inspect undeclared sites
Permanent prohibition of certain weaponization-related activities
Most of the coverage of the JCPOA on Fox News distorted the meaning of the agreement. Only Trey Yingst, a Fox News correspondent reporting from Isreal, accurately described what happened when Trump pulled the U.S. out of the agreement.
“We know that back in 2018, when President Trump decided to pull out of the nuclear deal, it was the Fordow facility, that biggest one just outside the Iranian capital of Tehran, that the Iranians started enriching uranium closer and closer to weapons grade material,” said Yingst.
On the PBS News Hour co-anchor Geoff Bennett also brought up the agreement as he interviewed Ernest Moniz.
“For perspective on the current state of affairs. We turn now to Ernest Moniz. He was Secretary of Energy during the Obama administration and a key negotiator, an architect of the Iran nuclear agreement that was signed in 2015. President Trump pulled the U.S. out of that agreement in 2018, saying he could negotiate a better one.”
Trump did not negotiate another agreement with Iran.
Bibi Netanyahu Was Manipulating Trump
On Tuesday on “The Five,” Jessica Tarlov pointed out that it seemed that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was getting Trump to do his bidding.
“So, my take on what he's (Trump) doing is that he's doing what Bibi wants to do. So he had made it clear over and over that he wanted a diplomatic path. And yes, it was day 61 and he had said, you have 60 days. But he had been planning to have his team be just two days later on the Sunday to try to go through the sixth round of talks. And he wanted a new nuke deal, even though the parameters of it were basically just the old deal that he had ripped up. So, Bibi decided this is my chance and Trump had no choice but to go along with it. And the New York Times is reporting today just to make everyone at the table feel a little bit more powerful, that not only was it that this is what Israel decided to do, but that Donald Trump liked Fox’s coverage of the operation Rising Lion . . . He (Trump) is posting using we. That that's the pronoun that he's using for this story, saying, we know where you are and we're deciding not to kill you. We're in control of the Iranian skies. We have the implication that we are now in this fight with them,” said Tarlov.
No Kings Protests Were No Big Deal
On Monday the cast of “The Five” minimized the massive ‘No Kings’ anti-Trump protests that included over five million Americans in 2000 locations across the country.
“Split screen moment in America over the weekend. President Trump holding a big, beautiful military parade celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Army. While the No King's anti-Trump protests brought out millions of cat ladies and Woodstock Aaron Boomers. This lady was running around in whatever the heck this is, and these children are smashing the snot out of a Trump pinata,” said Jesse Watters.
Greg Gutfeld oddly spent a lot of focus on Canada.
“It’s amazing that they create. It's again another delusion that they create in their heads that doesn't exist. We do not have kings here. If they had been, if we had kings, you wouldn't have had the march. Because you're cowards. So they're protesting something that doesn't exist. So it's easy, then, to claim mercy. Now look at Canada. They had a No Kings Day, but they changed the name to ‘No Tyrants’ because they have a king. There is courage. There is courage. Oh, it would have meant something if you had No Kings Day. Because you have a King Charles. But no, he didn't want to piss off the king. So you changed it. Meanwhile, what a contrast. We have a military parade where 250 years ago, we got rid of a king. Yeah. And on the same day you have this astroturf. Cause playing circus of people pretending that there's a king. A loose military drama. Meanwhile, you know, in D.C., they're actually commemorate getting rid of a real king . . .Imagine all the time wasted. All of these old people that are so scared. So scared. They have to go and protest. They have maybe their family isn't talking to them. I don't know what's going on. But they gladly think they're doing something. It's sad,” said Gutfeld.
The Left are the Real Kings!
That same evening on “The Ingraham Angle” guest host Kayleigh McEnany featured images from protests in the summer of 2020 while she discussed the No Kings protests with Ben Ferguson, host of ‘The 47 Morning Update’ podcast.
“And I wanted to just bring up. This is down memory lane. This is fiery but peaceful protest back in 2020. Yes, CNN they're still trying this as like cars burn. It's peaceful,” said McEnany.
Ferguson’s response included several false statements.
“No, it's peaceful everywhere. Just every protest isn't peaceful. And this is what they try to tell you, is it? The left is somehow pro-America and Donald Trump is some sort of king. I'm pretty sure we got rid of kings in 1776, and I'm pretty sure Donald Trump is the guy that's now taking down the oligarchs and the Democratic Party, and that's what they're angry about,” said Ferguson.
I’m not sure which oligarchs Ferguson thinks Trump has taken down. The second Trump administration includes several billionaires in key cabinet positions and other agencies including Elon Musk, the richest man in the world.
Ferguson then made several wild accusations.
“But if you want to look at who's in favor of America right now compared to the other side, look at the radical left. The left killed the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. The left killed two Israeli ambassador staffers. The left attempted to assassinate Donald Trump not once, but twice. They're the same left that attempted to dox and murder federal agents, ICE agents and police all week long. And then you look at what happened in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the state rep and her husband that were injured in the center and his wife,” said Ferguson.
In every assassination attempt or murder Ferguson mentioned the attackers acted alone without an affiliation with a political organization. In some cases, the shooters were registered Republicans. There’s also no evidence of an organized scheme to murder ICE agents.
“And then you look at what they are. The left has become a domestic terrorist organization right now. They hate anything that celebrates America. They hate our military. They hate the men and women that protect us and police and law enforcement and ICE. And what do they want to do? They want to destroy it all because they've lost their power, because they're no longer kings. So what do they do? They say, ‘oh, Donald Trump, he's a king.” No, Donald Trump's the guy that's getting rid of all your power as dictators and tyrants. And let's not forget, they also lied to the American people and said Joe Biden's competent. He's running the country. And now we know he wasn't the entire time,” said Ferguson.
I’m almost surprised he didn’t find a way to wedge transgender Americans into his crazed rant.
A True Clutch Your Pearls Moment
On Friday on “The Five” Jessica Tarlov discussed the false outrage surrounding Democratic criticism of Republicans.
“I want to emphasize how important it is that people stop feigning outrage when a Democrat insults Republicans. We are so past basket of deplorables and it's like, oh my God, I can't believe she talks about Republicans this way. There are a litany of names that top Republicans, including our commander in chief, have called Democrats treasonous, un-American, scum, warped, radical. Just a few of them. I don't want to hear the complaints,” said Tarlov.
That evening Laura Ingraham included an extended monologue where she claimed anti-Trump protesters were really anti-American extremists.
“Hating America and resisting America that is the focus of tonight's angle. It's time to simplify things. Now, the left-wing protests that we're seeing rage across the country. They may, at first glance, seem to be focused on different causes. Anti-Zionist, anti-ICE, pro-trans, but at their core, they have one common denominator. The forces organizing them fat cat Democrat groups, assorted socialists and open borders fanatics are deeply anti-American . . . embracing America, abiding by our laws. Honoring our customs. That is out the window. Instead of bringing America into your own experience, they're encouraged to resist America . . . again they believe that America is rotten to the core. That anti-Western bile is the hub of the protest wheel,” said Ingraham.
Stories Fox News Ignored
Every week I compare the hours of Fox News I’ve watched to five hours of the PBS News Hour. The following list are stories PBS covered that Fox News did not. Source - PBS News Hour transcripts. This list is slightly truncated due to space.
Updates in the Israel-Hamas War
On Monday in Gaza, health officials said at least 34 Palestinians were killed in near food distribution centers. Witnesses say the Israeli military opened fire in an attempt to control the crowds. The Israeli and U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation claim no violence has occurred at their sites. (PBS News Hour)
On Tuesday in Gaza, Palestinian health officials say at least 51 people were killed and more than 200 others wounded as they waited for U.N. trucks bearing much-needed food. Eyewitnesses spoke of an Israeli airstrike and gunfire in the southern city of Khan Yunis. Israel's military acknowledged reports of several casualties and said they are investigating. (PBS News Hour)
On Friday in Gaza, at least 37 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip while trying to get food. Hospital officials in Central Gaza say they received the bodies of 14 people. Many of them died in an Israeli airstrike on a home nearby. They say the others were killed as they tried to get food at an aid distribution site. (PBS News Hour)
Updates in Ukraine-Russia War
Russian missiles and drones killed at least 15 people and injured more than 150 in Ukraine, the vast majority of them in the capital city of Kyiv. Officials say it's the deadliest attack on the capital this year. As peace talks between the two countries falter, Ukraine says Russia has stepped up assaults on civilian areas. (PBS News Hour)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy secured $1.5 billion in new military aid from Canada's prime minister. Zelenskyy has been trying to rally support from Western allies at the G7 summit. He was supposed to meet with President Trump, but that was canceled after the president headed home early. (PBS News Hour)
The Supreme Court says it will take up an appeal from a faith-based pregnancy center in New Jersey when it reconvenes for its fall term. First Choice Women's Resource Centers is pushing back on a state investigation into whether it deceived women into believing it offered abortion services. (PBS News Hour)
The Supreme Court declined to revive a copyright case over Ed Sheeran's song "Thinking Out Loud" and whether it illegally copied from the Marvin Gaye classic "Let's Get It On." A lower court had already found Sheeran not libel in 2023. (PBS News Hour)
New Jersey's Supreme Court says the state can let a grand jury look into allegations of clergy abuse. The ruling came after the Diocese of Camden agreed last month to drop its longstanding opposition to such a probe. The case originates from a finding in 2018 that more than 1,000 children had been abused in the state of Pennsylvania since the 1940s. That prompted New Jersey to announce an investigation of its own. (PBS News Hour)
The Supreme Court is reviving plans to store nuclear waste at sites in Texas and New Mexico. The justices rejected a challenge from Texas and a group of landowners over a private company's plans to store the material in the state. The decision is expected to apply to a similar site in New Mexico. The two facilities are meant to be temporary. Plans for a permanent location in Nevada have been delayed due to local opposition. (PBS News Hour)
The Food and Drug Administration approved the world's only twice-a-year injection for HIV prevention. The drug, called lenacapavir, is not a vaccine, but it nearly eliminated new infections in two groundbreaking clinical trials. HIV still infects 30,000 Americans each year and more than a million people worldwide. But there are concerns that the Trump administration's proposed cuts to federal funding for HIV prevention could limit its impact. (PBS News Hour)
A historic and national $7.4 billion dollar settlement has been reached with Purdue Pharma, the maker of the opioid OxyContin that spurred a major start of the opioid epidemic. A prior settlement had been struck down by the Supreme Court. If approved by courts and the Department of Justice, it would end the Sacklers' ownership of Purdue and begin payouts to families and communities devastated by the crisis. (PBS News Hour)
President Trump signed an executive order allowing TikTok to continue operating in the U.S. for another 90 days. The announcement on his social media platform allows the government until mid-September to try to negotiate a deal for the social media app, which is owned by China's ByteDance. This is the third time the Trump administration has extended the deadline after Congress passed a law last year calling for its sale amid national security concerns. (PBS News Hour)
The Affordable Care Act faces significant rollbacks if President Trump’s big spending and tax cut bill is approved by the Senate. The proposed changes could affect many of the 24 million Americans enrolled in that insurance marketplace and could leave millions of people without coverage. (PBS News Hour)
The Supreme Court rejected a bid by the FDA to limit which courts vaping companies can use to challenge federal regulations. The justices found that R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company can pursue a case about e-cigarette marketing in the nation's Fifth Circuit. Anti-smoking groups say the ruling could hurt efforts to keep young people from vaping. (PBS News Hour)
The Trump administration sent layoff notices to hundreds more employees at Voice of America. The cuts impacted 639 employees at the broadcaster and the U.S. agency that oversees it. According to a press release, that means some 1,400 people have now lost their jobs since March, or about 85% of its prior work force. VOA began broadcasting to residents of Nazi Germany in the 1940s. (PBS News Hour)
All public schools in Texas will soon be required to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms. That's under a law that Governor Greg Abbott signed Saturday after it easily passed both chambers of the Republican controlled Texas Legislature. Supporters of the bill said it doesn't interfere with the separation of church and state because the Ten Commandments are part of the foundation of the United States. Critics argue displaying the Ten Commandments infringes on the religious rights of — religious freedoms of others. On Friday, a federal appeals court struck down a similar law in Louisiana as unconstitutional. (PBS News Hour)
By the Numbers
