Donald Trump Jr. said during an Axios House event on Tuesday that he’s been blacklisted from Fox News, although the network said in a statement that “he is and always has been welcome on all FOX News Media platforms.”
Trump Jr. also said that media mogul and Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch’s influence over the conservative media landscape “is not what it used to be.”
“There was a time where if you wanted to survive in the Republican Party, you had to bend the knee to to him or to others,” former President Trump’s eldest son told Axios’ Mike Allen on the second day of the convention.
“I don’t think that’s the case anymore.”
Trump Jr. was interviewed by Fox News correspondent Aishah Hasnie during a media scrum on Monday at the RNC.
“Prior to the Axios event, Fox & Friends asked him to appear on the show on Wednesday and he has since accepted that booking,” a Fox News spokesperson said in a statement.
“He is and always has been welcome on all Fox News Media platforms.”
Prior to Monday, Trump Jr. hadn’t been on Fox on a weekday in more than two years, according to Matthew Gertz of Media Matters.
Trump Jr. told Axios he was scheduled to be interviewed multiple times during that period but was bumped at the last minute. He believed that was because management had intervened to keep him off the air.
Trump Jr. is a powerful voice within Trump’s MAGA-wing of the GOP, and he’ll likely carry on his father’s legacy for decades to come.
Trump Jr.’s role as GOP kingmaker expanded on Monday, when Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) was named as Trump’s running mate.
Trump Jr. is a close friend of Vance’s and advocated for him to get the coveted job.
Trump Jr. is set to speak at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday just before Vance delivers his remarks.
