President Donald Trump spent part of Election Day evening watching Fox News for early midterm updates, and he did not like what he heard from one of the network’s liberal voices. In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, the president said he was changing the channel because of “The Five” co-host Jessica Tarlov, according to The Hill and Just the News.
“Watching the Pre-Election Results on FoxNews, but I can’t stand Jessica Tarlov’s voice — DUMB AS A ROCK, but it’s the voice that gets me. Have to go somewhere else until that LOSER is off the air — I’ll be back later!” Trump wrote, in the post reported by both outlets.
Midterm Elections: Donald Trump Rages At Jessica Tarlov Of Fox News’ ‘The Five,’ Complains About Poll Questions
Keep up to date with the latest Election Day news here: https://t.co/UOgyqbtGeq
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) November 3, 2026
What set it off
According to The Hill, the post came moments after Tarlov argued with co-host Greg Gutfeld over which issues matter most to voters heading into Tuesday’s midterm elections. Gutfeld insisted that high gas prices and the cost of living were top of mind for Americans, The Hill reported, and argued that voters would not back Democrats because of the party’s positions on gender procedures for children.
The Hill described Tarlov as a regular progressive voice on “The Five,” one of Fox News’ most watched debate programs, and noted that she frequently spars with hosts like Gutfeld and Jesse Watters and has drawn the president’s ire before. Just the News likewise described Tarlov as a critic of Trump and one of the network’s more liberal figures, and noted that the president has long preferred the Rupert Murdoch-owned network over most legacy outlets.
A text read live on air
The president did not stay away from the conversation for long. Video of “The Five” shared on X shows Gutfeld reading aloud a text he said came from Trump. “Greg, tell Tarlov, who is the WORST, gas prices are lower than they were for Biden and Obama and THEY allowed Iran to have a nuclear bomb,” the message read, as quoted in a post on X sharing the clip. Those claims are the president’s own, delivered through a Fox host in the middle of a live broadcast.
The two moments, the Truth Social post and the text read on air, quickly spread across X as voters waited for the first polls to close Tuesday evening.
Why it matters
The exchange is a reminder of how closely Trump follows cable coverage and how directly he answers critics, even on a night when control of Congress is on the line. His post signaled he planned to return to Fox’s coverage later in the night. For supporters, the episode showed a president willing to make his case on gas prices on live television; for critics on the left, it was another round in his long-running feud with Tarlov.
Sources
- The Hill: Trump turns off Fox News over Tarlov’s voice
- Just the News: Trump ditches Fox News on midterm night
- President Trump on Truth Social
- Video of Gutfeld reading the text, via X
Sources cited
- https://thehill.com/homenews/media/6194311-trump-attacks-jessica-tarlov-voice/
- https://justthenews.com/accountability/media/trump-ditches-fox-news-midterm-night-blaming-jessica-tarlovs-voice
- https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117554852721008421
- https://x.com/BoLoudon/status/2117768404824207534
Sources
- Original post: Deadline (@DEADLINE) on X, Nov 3, 2026
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