As the race for California governor heats up with the high-profile departure of former Congressman Eric Swalwell, President Donald Trump on Wednesday slammed the Fox News Channel for giving on-air coverage to billionaire Tom Steyer, one of several Democrats vying to replace Gavin Newsom for the Golden State’s top job.
“Why is FoxNews showing SLEAZEBAG Tom Steyer, doing a big piece on him right now, and probably putting him ‘into play,’ instead of talking about Republican Candidates, and really good ones like Steve Hilton, and Republicans?” Trump asked on Truth Social.
“How can a Republican expect to win that State, with their Mail In Voting and Rigged Elections, when you have FoxNews promoting the Democrats?
“Nobody cares about Tom Steyer, he is a LOSER, but Fox is making it possible for a guy like this to win. VOTE FOR STEVE HILTON, AND TURN CALIFORNIA AROUND!”
WATCH:
JUST IN: President Trump Slams FOX News
“Why is @FoxNews showing SLEAZEBAG [California governor candidate] @TomSteyer, doing a big piece on him right now, and probably putting him “into play,” instead of talking about @GOP Candidates, & really good ones like @TeamSteveHilton, &… pic.twitter.com/xhWTj0v5T0
— Sergeant News Network (@sgtnewsnetwork) April 15, 2026
Upon learning of Trump’s message, Steyer responded: “California: The man who brought you $8 gasoline would like you to vote for Steve Hilton.”
Fox’s coverage of Steyer has hardly been positive. The network’s congressional correspondent Bill Melugin pointed out Tuesday that Steyer’s immigration platform is “radically left” of Newsom’s, as it includes:
“- Abolish ICE
“- Put ICE agents in jail & ‘treat them like the mob.’
“- Bring those “kidnapped & detained by ICE back home.”
“- Give CA AG power to imprison ICE agents & their leadership.
“- Taxpayer funded legal representation & support for illegal aliens.
“- Ignore a SCOTUS ruling that allows ICE to utilize to use race, language, job, and location to contribute to ‘reasonable suspicion’ for immigration arrests, and instead, ‘California should take matters into our own hands and extend legal protections to its residents, despite the federal governments failure.’”
Steyer himself noted on Wednesday: “ICE is a criminal organization. As governor, I’ll prosecute them like one.”
This is the leading candidate for Governor of California’s black outreach program.
He literally hired Juvenile to perform “Back That Ass Up” and put his skanky wife onstage to dance to it with him.
I’m surprised they didn’t just start twerking together. pic.twitter.com/VvXBO7uD4X
— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarino) April 14, 2026
Steve Hilton, the leading Republican for governor who is endorsed by Trump, appeared on “The Faulkner Focus” Wednesday to slam Steyer’s immigration stance as “insanity.”
“This is far-left extremism beyond anything we even saw under the Biden years,” said Hilton. “This is basically an extension of the Biden open-borders policy agenda on the home front, internally. It’s insanity! It’s completely dismantling any kind of immigration enforcement effectively.”
CALIFORNIA RACE HEATS UP @SteveHiltonx takes aim at Democratic candidate Tom Steyer, saying his platform reflects “far-left extremism” and is out of step with voters. pic.twitter.com/g6eQp4QH2F
— The Faulkner Focus (@FaulknerFocus) April 15, 2026
“No one wants Tom Steyer,” Hilton added. “That’s why he’s trying to buy the election because he’s got no real support.”
Here is the man responsible for $8 gas. Well, him and the entire CA Democrat party! pic.twitter.com/gFoidWlgOP
— David Coyote (@dvdcoyote) April 15, 2026
This is not the first time Trump has criticized Fox News.
As WorldNetDaily reported in October, Trump blasted anchor Peter Doocy and the network for refusing to push back against Democrat U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly’s claims about health care and the shutdown of the federal government.
“Why is FoxNews and Peter Doocy putting on Democrat Senator Mark Kelly to talk about, totally unabated or challenged, Healthcare?” Trump began.
“The FAKE SPIN is so bad for Republicans that it is hard to believe that we WIN. It will be very unfair, in the future, when they don’t have ‘TRUMP’ to fight for them. Therefore, we should fix it, NOW!”
“I’m watching this Interview. It just doesn’t end. Fox should either get on board, or get off board, NOW, but at this point, it just doesn’t make any difference to me. They suck up the Ratings because of us, and then spin them in the Democrats’ direction.
“They refuse to put up Polls that correctly show me at 65% in Popularity, a Republican RECORD, but if I have a fake bad ‘Poll,’ many of which are done by Fox (One of the worst ‘Pollsters’ out there is the FoxNews Poll), they put them up immediately, and with gusto.
“Republicans are so tired of this fight with Fox always trying to be so ‘politically correct!’ Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Follow Joe on X @JoeKovacsNews
‘Once great State has gone to Hell’: Trump endorses former Fox News host running for governor
WATCH: Trump torches Fox News and Peter Doocy for ‘FAKE SPIN’
‘SICK’: Trump wants biggest media pollsters investigated for election fraud, including Fox News
