[imagesource: Flickr / DonkeyHotey]

Donald Trump is running for the 2024 presidency and will need all the help he can get.

His hardcore MAGA fans are naturally on board, and the support of Fox News and rags like The New York Post is essential.

Those are both controlled by Rupert Murdoch and it appears that his well of support has run dry, especially with regard to Trump’s favourite tabloid.

Fox News will continue to punt Republican candidates for the big seat because it’s good for ratings (and their viewers would riot if they didn’t), but The New York Post has made its stance very clear.

Just look how it covered Trump’s huge (or ‘yuuuge’) announcement on its front page this week:

Image: The New York Post

A tiny banner directing readers to page 26 and using the ‘Florida Man’ meme, which alleged the “prevalence of male persons performing irrational or absurd actions in the US state”.

When you get to page 26, it’s even worse:

NY Post: Florida Man Makes Announcement —> story deep inside on page 26. pic.twitter.com/rccr3OcD1P

— Christine Romans (@ChristineRomans) November 16, 2022

In full, via The National Review, the short blurb reads:

With just 720 days to go before the next election, a Florida retiree made the surprise announcement that he was running for president. In a move no political pundit saw coming, avid golfer Donald J. Trump kicked things off at Mar-a-Lago, his resort and classified-documents library.

Trump, famous for gold-plated lobbies and for firing people on realtity television, will be 78 in 2024. If elected, Trump would tie Joe Biden as the oldest president to take office. His cholesterol levels are unknown, but his favorite food is a charred steak with ketchup.

He has stated that his qualifications for office include being a “stable genius.”

Trump also served as the 45th president.

There’s no reading between the lines needed there.

Murdoch and Trump both have massive egos and the former appears to be very miffed that the latter didn’t heed his advice.

Consider this, via The Independent:

The snarky, dismissive story comes just days after it was reported that Murdoch reportedly urged Mr Trump not to run again in 2024.

…Murdoch made it clear to Mr Trump that the former reality game show host would not have the expansive News Corp media empire propping up his election bid this time around.

“We have been clear with Donald. There have been conversations between them during which Rupert made it clear to Donald that we cannot back another run for the White House,” a senior News Corp official reportedly [said].

Trump is running anyway and it looks like Florida Man Governor Ronald DeSantis (or ‘Ron DeSanctimonious’ as Trump labelled him recently) will be his biggest rival for the Republican candidacy.

If Trump loses, you can bet he’ll do his best to take the entire party down with him.

Popcorn at the ready.

[sources:natreview&independent]