Rupert Murdoch reportedly said that Rudy Giuliani was a 'terrible influence' on Donald Trump. Reuters
Rupert Murdoch reportedly said that Rudy Giuliani was a 'terrible influence' on Donald Trump. Reuters
Rupert Murdoch reportedly said that Rudy Giuliani was a 'terrible influence' on Donald Trump. Reuters
Rupert Murdoch reportedly said that Rudy Giuliani was a 'terrible influence' on Donald Trump. Reuters

Rupert Murdoch admits some Fox hosts 'endorsed' false 2020 voting fraud claims


  • English
  • Arabic

Rupert Murdoch acknowledged that some of the commentators on his Fox television network endorsed former president Donald Trump's debunked claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged.

The admission from the News Corp chief executive came during a deposition as part of a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit filed against the right-wing network by Dominion Voting Systems. The suit alleges that Fox promoted false claims that the voting-machine company changed votes in the election from Mr Trump to challenger Joe Biden.

The media tycoon rejected the idea that Fox News as a company endorsed the claims but acknowledged some of the network's personalities — including Lou Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo, Jeanine Pirro and Sean Hannity — promoted them.

“Some of our commentators were endorsing it,” he said, according to a court filing that included transcripts of his February 8 deposition.

“About their endorsement of a stolen election?” a lawyer asked him.

Mr Murdoch responded: “Yes. They endorsed.”

He said he had immediate doubts over the fraud claims, pointing to Fox News calling Arizona for Mr Biden. Mr Murdoch said he was “very much aware” that Mr Trump was angry about the Arizona call.

“It is fair to say you seriously doubted any claim of massive election fraud?” the lawyer asked.

“Oh, yes,” Mr Murdoch said.

“And you seriously doubted it from the very beginning?”

He replied: “Yes. I mean, we thought everything was on the up-and-up. I think that was shown when we announced Arizona.”

Mr Murdoch also conceded he could have done more to stop Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell — two of Mr Trump's lawyers who were central players in pushing the baseless conspiracy theories — from appearing on Fox.

“I could have. But I didn't.”

Mr Trump on Tuesday repeated his false claims, saying Fox was "too scared and frightened to reveal the massive amounts of fraud".

"Instead FoxNews wants to silence its anchors and reporters, the reason so many of their viewers fled," he wrote on his Truth Social app.

Providing information on Biden advertisements

In the lawsuit, Dominion said Mr Murdoch had provided Jared Kushner, Mr Trump's son-in-law and adviser, “Fox confidential information about Biden's ads, along with debate strategy” in the run-up to the election.

But Mr Murdoch refused to help the then-president on election night after the network called Arizona for Mr Biden.

“My friend Jared Kushner called me saying, 'This is terrible,' and I could hear Trump's voice in the background shouting,” Mr Murdoch said in the deposition.

“And I said, Well, the numbers are the numbers.'”

Fox's calling of Arizona set off a torrent of criticism in conservative circles, Dominion's court filing states.

The network called the election for Mr Biden on November 7, 2020.

Afterwards, Mr Murdoch told his son Lachlan: “We should and could have gone first but at least being second saves us a Trump explosion!”

The day after, Mr Murdoch told Col Allan, editor at News Corp's New York Post, that Mr Giuliani was a “terrible influence” on Mr Trump, to which Mr Allan called Mr Giuliani “unhinged”.

In its own filing released earlier this month, Fox defended its coverage of the election and argued that it had a right to report Mr Trump's fraud allegations.

Fox News argued its coverage was protected under the First Amendment and was not defamatory because its hosts did not endorse the claims, The New York Times reported, citing a court filing.

The Dominion Voting Systems-Fox trial is scheduled to begin in April.

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Rating: 4/5

Company%20profile
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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 specs: 2018 Audi RS5

Price, base: Dh359,200

Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm

Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km

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2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

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Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHigh%20fever%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIntense%20pain%20behind%20your%20eyes%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESevere%20headache%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENausea%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVomiting%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESwollen%20glands%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ERash%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIf%20symptoms%20occur%2C%20they%20usually%20last%20for%20two-seven%20days%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

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3 out of 5 stars

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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S23%20ULTRA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.8%22%20edge%20quad-HD%2B%20dynamic%20Amoled%202X%2C%20Infinity-O%2C%203088%20x%201440%2C%20500ppi%2C%20HDR10%2B%2C%20120Hz%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204nm%20Qualcomm%20Snapdragon%208%20Gen%202%2C%2064-bit%20octa-core%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F12GB%20RAM%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20128%2F256%2F512GB%2F1TB%20(only%20128GB%20has%20an%208GB%20RAM%20option)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Android%2013%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20quad%2012MP%20ultra-wide%20f%2F2.2%20%2B%20200MP%20wide%20f%2F1.7%20%2B%2010MP%20telephoto%20f%2F4.9%20%2B%2010MP%20telephoto%202.4%3B%203x%2F10x%20optical%20zoom%2C%20Space%20Zoom%20up%20to%20100x%3B%20auto%20HDR%2C%20expert%20RAW%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208K%4024%2F30fps%2C%204K%4060fps%2C%20full-HD%4060fps%2C%20HD%4030fps%2C%20full-HD%20super%20slo-mo%40960fps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012MP%20f%2F2.2%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205000mAh%2C%20fast%20wireless%20charging%202.0%2C%20Wireless%20PowerShare%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205G%2C%20Wi-Fi%2C%20Bluetooth%205.2%2C%20NFC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20USB-C%3B%20built-in%20Galaxy%20S%20Pen%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESIM%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20single%20nano%20%2F%20nano%20%2B%20eSIM%20%2F%20nano%20%2B%20nano%20%2B%20eSIM%20%2F%20nano%20%2B%20nano%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20cream%2C%20green%2C%20lavender%2C%20phantom%20black%3B%20online%20exclusives%3A%20graphite%2C%20lime%2C%20red%2C%20sky%20blue%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh4%2C949%20for%20256GB%2C%20Dh5%2C449%20for%20512GB%2C%20Dh6%2C449%20for%201TB%3B%20128GB%20unavailable%20in%20the%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Gifts exchanged
  • King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
  • Queen Camilla -  Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
  • Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
  • Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: February 28, 2023, 4:37 PM