Trump Breaks Fox News
At 94, media titan Rupert Murdoch is facing what may be the final—and most consequential—chapter of his legendary career: the looming question of who will control his vast media empire once he’s gone.
With declining health and intensifying legal challenges, Murdoch’s grip on Fox Corporation and News Corp is weakening. And according to Fortune, the outcome of this succession battle could determine whether Fox News continues as a trusted voice for millions of conservatives—or loses its direction entirely.
Adding fuel to the fire is President Donald Trump’s escalating feud with Murdoch and his media holdings, including Fox News and The Wall Street Journal. On July 28, Trump’s legal team filed an emergency motion to depose Murdoch as part of a $10 billion defamation lawsuit tied to reporting about Trump’s alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein—claims the former president has fiercely denied.
This lawsuit is the culmination of years of tension dating back to election night in 2020, when Fox News made the controversial and premature decision to call Arizona for Joe Biden—long before other networks. That call, made just 20 minutes after polls closed, stunned Trump’s team and was viewed by many as a betrayal from a once-reliable ally.
Now, the fight has gone beyond politics. Trump’s attorneys argue that Murdoch’s serious health issues—including seizures, heart arrhythmias, spinal injuries, and a near-fatal collapse earlier this year—may prevent him from testifying at trial. These concerns have only intensified speculation about the long-term stability of Murdoch’s media empire.
At the heart of the matter is the Murdoch Family Trust, which holds the family’s controlling shares in both Fox and News Corp. Created in 1999, the trust holds more than 40% of the voting power through a dual-share system. Rupert Murdoch currently holds four votes, and each of his four eldest children—Lachlan, James, Elisabeth, and Prudence—hold one vote apiece.
Upon Murdoch’s passing, his votes will be distributed equally among the children, giving each two votes. This shift sets the stage for a high-stakes power struggle that could reshape the landscape of American media.
Lachlan Murdoch, now chairman of News Corp and CEO of Fox Corporation, was tapped by his father as the successor in 2023. But that leadership transition has been anything but smooth. In 2023, Rupert sought to amend the trust to grant Lachlan sole control, triggering a bitter legal dispute among the siblings. A Nevada court struck down the change in December 2024, but the legal wrangling is far from over.
The trust’s structure—and its expiration in 2030—only heightens the risk of deadlock. Analysts warn that if the siblings cannot agree on a unified vision, the result could be gridlock, shareholder panic, or even the breakup of the Murdoch empire.
A particular source of concern for conservatives is James Murdoch, who has distanced himself from Fox News and publicly condemned its editorial direction. James and his wife Kathryn have poured over $100 million into Democrat-aligned causes, progressive political groups, and climate change initiatives—many of which are directly opposed to Trump and conservative values.
Insiders worry that if James teams up with his sisters, they could oust Lachlan and begin selling off iconic outlets like The Wall Street Journal and The Times of London, or shift them toward a more left-leaning agenda.
Murdoch biographer Michael Wolff has even suggested that the post-Rupert era could see the dismantling of conservative media as we know it. Still, some experts believe Lachlan’s strong financial performance could be enough to convince his siblings to maintain the status quo—at least for now.
But with Rupert Murdoch’s health in serious decline, time is running out. The future of Fox News—and the broader conservative media landscape—may soon rest in the hands of four heirs with very different visions. What they decide in the months ahead could determine whether Murdoch’s legacy continues or crumbles.
