It's official: Donald Trump is boring.
That, at least, is the consensus at Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, which is leading a broader media shift away from the man they once couldn’t get enough of.
Mr Murdoch’s New York Post reacted to Mr Trump's declaration that he is again running for the White House in 2024 with a contemptuous shrug.
“Florida Man Makes Announcement” was Wednesday’s front-page headline, buried under a gruesome local story and with the article itself tucked away on page 26.
It followed a string of front pages trolling Mr Trump, including one ridiculing him as “Trumpty Dumpty” who couldn’t build a wall, and another calling Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis “DeFUTURE”.
Mr Murdoch was never a huge fan of Mr Trump, though he has certainly benefited from the advertising money and huge viewership the brash politician brought to his media empire.
The Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021, was not enough to shake support for Mr Trump, nor were his baseless claims the 2020 election was “stolen” from him.
But now it is clear that after a string of Republican setbacks, the ratings golden goose must be sacrificed before he becomes even more of an electoral albatross.
Mr Murdoch’s Wall Street Journal blamed Mr Trump for the Republicans’ lacklustre performance during last week’s midterms, pointing to his “perfect record of electoral defeat” since 2016, when he beat Hillary Clinton.
The man who boasted that Americans would “get bored with winning” soon went on to lose control of the House of Representatives in 2018 and the presidency in 2020.
The defeats are bad enough for Mr Trump, but to lose Mr Murdoch’s endorsement is a catastrophe.
Just ask former British prime minister Gordon Brown, who lost to David Cameron in 2010 after the media mogul that famously anointed Tony Blair in 1997 decided he’d had enough of a Labour government.
Even Fox News, which for more than four years acted as giddy cheerleader for Mr Trump and gave him many softball interviews, is trying to distance itself.
As the defeated president announced his new White House bid, Fox did something that may once have been unthinkable: they cut away from the primetime speech.
It’s not just News Corp that is turning its back on Mr Trump, even though he remains a wildly popular figure among many Republican voters.
During Mr Trump’s speech, CNN pulled the plug on its coverage soon after Mr Trump delivered the money quote: “In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States.”
MSNBC didn’t air the speech live at all.
It’s a sea change from 2015 and 2016, when news networks gave Mr Trump unfettered airtime, effectively silencing his Republican challengers and Ms Clinton, and arguably ensuring his rise to power even as they expressed outrage over his hectoring and bullying style.
A low point for American broadcast journalism came when several networks for hours displayed an empty lectern from which Mr Trump was scheduled to speak, instead of giving airtime to anyone else running for the world's top job.
The question now is whether the media's attempt to ignore Mr Trump can last. He has a strong chance of becoming the Republican nominee again and journalists love to put “Trump” in a headline — his name often garners more clicks on a story or video than that of President Joe Biden — but Tuesday's announcement seemed to mark a palpable shift in public perception.
Even he seemed uninspired by his own bleak speech, which was his standard mash-up of fearmongering, negativity and bullying.
Attendees were seen shuffling awkwardly for the exits as Mr Trump went on and on for more than an hour. At least one reporter said security guards stopped people from leaving the ballroom.
Perhaps Anthony Scaramucci, who briefly served as Mr Trump's spokesman and is now in finance, said it best: he likened his former boss to a gnarled, undead thing that no one can bear to look at anymore.
“You know how you have a zombie that you can’t kill, like in the Night of the Walking Dead? That’s Trump,” Mr Scaramucci said.
“He’s the orange zombie that the Republicans are desperate to make extinct … Trump is fighting [like it’s] 2016-17 in 2024, but the world’s moving to 2030.”
A look inside Donald Trump's feed on the Truth Social app, which is not available in most countries — in pictures
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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The years Ramadan fell in May
THE BIG THREE
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m
ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m
RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RACE CARD
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 1,000m
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Al Ain Mile Group 3 (PA) Dh350,000 1,600m
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Amith's selections:
5pm: AF Sail
5.30pm: Dahawi
6pm: Taajer
6.30pm: Pharitz Oubai
7pm: Winked
7.30pm: Shahm
8pm: Raniah
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
FA Cup fifth round draw
Sheffield Wednesday v Manchester City
Reading/Cardiff City v Sheffield United
Chelsea v Shrewsbury Town/Liverpool
West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United/Oxford United
Leicester City v Coventry City/Birmingham City
Northampton Town/Derby County v Manchester United
Southampton/Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City
Portsmouth v Arsenal
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May
