In the book “American Woman,” author Kate Andersen Rogers reveals insights into Melania Trump’s media consumption habits during her time at the White House. Melania, like her husband, closely followed news coverage and was particularly attentive to how the media portrayed her. Unlike Donald Trump, who favored Fox News, Melania was described as watching CNN “voraciously.”
The differing cable news preferences of the Trump couple created a “house divided,” with Melania tuned into CNN while Donald Trump stuck to Fox News. However, this divergence in media choices became a point of contention for the then-president in July 2018. According to Rogers, Donald Trump was “incensed” to discover that Melania’s television on Air Force One during an overseas trip was tuned to CNN. In response, he ordered that all TVs on Air Force One and in their individual hotel suites be switched to Fox News going forward.
The dynamics between Donald Trump and Fox News experienced strain in the latter part of his presidency, especially after the network accurately projected the state of Arizona for Joe Biden during the 2020 election. This move contributed to a souring of Trump’s relationship with Fox News, highlighting the significant role media choices played within the Trump family.
