Revealed: Internal Fox News Messages Expose Post-2020 Election Turmoil

Tens of thousands of pages of exhibits were released as part of Smartmatic’s $2.7bn defamation lawsuit, disclosing previously unseen internal texts and emails from senior figures at Fox News. The documents show intense internal debate about how the network handled the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, including how to respond to election fraud claims, which guests to book, and how to manage the network’s public posture.

Key revelations

Sean Hannity: On 6 November 2020 Hannity wrote that the president "will not be crazy" and described him as "very calm." When a correspondent suggested Trump might have won "if he had been more serious about Covid," Hannity replied: "IMO masks should have been embrace [sic] and I said it all on the air." He also predicted Trump would concede: "That will happen. I know it for a fact."

Rupert Murdoch: In an unpublished 8 January 2021 email to journalist Lachlan Cartwright, Murdoch defended the network’s coverage and said Fox had repeatedly urged Trump to accept the result. He wrote that the company did not "personally" support Trump while acknowledging it had backed many of his administration’s policies.

Book promotions and internal favors: Fox hosts sought help promoting books and advancing personal projects. Jeanine Pirro messaged RNC chair Ronna McDaniel in September 2020 asking whether the RNC could buy copies of her forthcoming book; McDaniel replied that the RNC had already committed to other Trump-affiliated authors. Maria Bartiromo’s deposition in the case revealed she has earned over $70m during her time at the network.

Guest bookings and programming disputes: Lou Dobbs urged management to stop "black-balling" Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene after she was restricted from appearances; network executives were concerned about Greene’s tweets alleging Dominion machines were hacked. Fox later settled a separate defamation suit with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5m in 2023.

Political recruitment and influence: Steve Bannon texted Maria Bartiromo on 10 November 2020 urging her to run for the U.S. Senate in New York: "We want you to run against Schumer. This is your moment."

Internal strategy disagreements: There was debate about whether Lachlan Murdoch should be interviewed by Tucker Carlson to "hit big tech" and address election night; Fox PR head Irena Briganti warned against pairing them because it could provoke backlash. Carlson, Hannity and others sparred privately over how strongly to challenge Trump allies who made unverified fraud claims—Hannity criticized Carlson for publicly attacking Sidney Powell on 19 November 2020, calling the move a "Classic O'Reilly move" that risked upsetting Trump supporters.

Tensions with the board: Board members Anne Dias and former House Speaker Paul Ryan exchanged messages urging Fox to clarify what was and was not permissible on air. Dias warned that "Trump needs a scapegoat and it’s now Fox," and Ryan encouraged her to raise concerns with Lachlan Murdoch directly.

Concerns about fallout: On 5 November 2020 Tucker Carlson asked chief political anchor Bret Baier for ideas to help calm viewers; Baier suggested grilling Arnon Mishkin, head of the Fox News Decision Desk, whose team called Arizona for Biden. Carlson acknowledged the risk of making things worse but emphasized the need to "calm viewers down" because he expected Trump to blame the network if he lost.

What this means

The disclosed messages show a network wrestling with competing priorities: journalistic accuracy, commercial pressures, internal loyalty, and political influence. Fox has denied Smartmatic’s claims, calling the company’s valuation exaggerated; Smartmatic says legal delays will not prevent accountability. The documents provide rare insight into how editorial decisions and personnel dynamics played out in real time after one of the most contentious elections in recent U.S. history.