President Trump hosted a private White House dinner with Rupert Murdoch and senior News Corp. executives, criticizing major national outlets and discussing politics and foreign policy. The meeting occurred amid Trump's $10 billion defamation dispute with The Wall Street Journal, whose original complaint was dismissed and later amended. Attendees included senior White House officials and top News Corp. editors; topics ranged from the midterms and 2028 prospects to Iran, Venezuela and immigration. Trump said he is optimistic about the midterms but has not decided on any 2028 endorsements.
Trump Rips Major Outlets, Discusses Midterms and 2028 at Private Murdoch Dinner
Donald Trump and Rupert Murdoch. Photos: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images.
President Donald Trump hosted a private dinner at the White House residence Tuesday evening with News Corp. executives, including Rupert Murdoch, where he criticized several national news outlets and discussed political and international issues, a person familiar with the gathering told Axios.
Why It Matters
The meeting came amid an ongoing legal dispute between Trump and The Wall Street Journal. Trump sued the Journal in 2025 for $10 billion over a report that referenced a "bawdy" birthday letter bearing the president's name that was allegedly handed to Jeffrey Epstein. A federal judge dismissed the original defamation suit in April; Trump filed an amended complaint in May, and the Journal moved to dismiss that revised filing in June. The judge has not yet ruled on the latest motion.
Who Attended
Guests included senior White House officials and advisors alongside top News Corp. leaders. Those present, according to Axios and other reporting, included Marco Rubio, Karoline Leavitt, Steven Cheung, Scott Bessent and Susie Wiles, as well as News Corp. CEO Robert Thomson, News UK CEO Rebekah Brooks, New York Post editor-in-chief Keith Poole, Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker and WSJ editorial page editor Paul Gigot.
What Was Discussed
Conversation ranged from the state of the media — where Trump criticized outlets such as The Washington Post, The New York Times and "MS NOW," saying their influence and quality had declined — to foreign-policy flashpoints and domestic politics. Attendees discussed the Iran war, Venezuela, Cuba, immigration, tariffs, the upcoming midterm elections, and potential candidates for the 2028 presidential race.
According to the source, Trump asked about The Wall Street Journal's business and was told that both digital and print subscriptions have increased. He also said he felt optimistic about the midterms because he is campaigning frequently, but added it is too early to decide whom he would endorse in 2028.
Context and Takeaways
- The dinner was held in the White House residence, underscoring its private and intimate nature.
- Axios and Breaker reported the gathering was partly intended to "reset the relationship" between the president and News Corp., though such meetings are reportedly frequent.
- Neither News Corp. nor the White House provided comment when asked.
Bottom Line: The meeting combined media criticism, legal tensions with the Journal, and high-level policy and political conversation — signaling both continuing friction and ongoing engagement between the White House and News Corp. leadership.
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