President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Saul Loeb – Pool / Getty Images)
By Michael Schwarz July 17, 2026 at 9:22am
Fox News has largely covered President Donald Trump’s war against Iran and his other recent actions in office favorably.
When it comes to election integrity, however, the otherwise conservative network appears to prefer radio silence.
Late Thursday and early Friday on the social media platform X, users noted that Fox News had shown a “strange” indifference to Trump’s election integrity speech, prompting one user to declare that the network had “joined the fake media.”
In a Thursday primetime address to the nation, Trump announced that a Department of Homeland Security investigation had identified at least 278,000 non-citizens registered to vote in federal elections across the country.
Moreover, that number represents only a partial count.
“Since Democrat states refused to share their voter files, the real number is actually much higher than that,” Trump said.
The president also alleged that China, beginning in the 2020 election cycle, “carried out what is believed to be the largest compromise of election data in history, resulting in China’s illicit acquisition of 220 million U.S. voter files.”
The speech took place against the backdrop of Trump’s push for the Senate to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act, which would impose tighter election security measures such as voter ID.
Members of the Senate, including some Republicans, have balked at the idea of passing the measure.
On Fox News’ YouTube page, however, as of Friday morning, the overwhelming majority of videos pertained to the Iran War.
The same held true for the network’s morning show, “Fox & Friends,” on X.
Viewers noticed.
“Fox & friends has joined the FAKE MEDIA protecting the deep state,” one user wrote.
@foxandfriends the president of the United States, made a 20 minute speech last night and Fox and friends doesn’t even mention it?
Fox & friends has joined the FAKE MEDIA protecting the deep state . Too much to handle a 20 minute speech the president made. #Shame on you.!…— TIMENOUT (@TIMENOUT) July 17, 2026
“Trump’s China election bombshell got barely five minutes on Fox before the channel pivoted back to Iran. A stunning allegation, huge if true, and the coverage window closed almost instantly. Strange,” another user said.
Trump’s China election bombshell got barely five minutes on Fox before the channel pivoted back to Iran.
A stunning allegation, huge if true, and the coverage window closed almost instantly.
Strange.pic.twitter.com/lJIjZPKVpq
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) July 17, 2026
Indeed, disbelief about the network’s lack of coverage was widespread. One user even suggested “that a memo went out probably from corporate.”
@FoxNews @MariaBartiromo @foxandfriends it’s now 8 o’clock and it’s obvious that a memo went out probably from corporate down because Fox and friends and Maria Bartiromo both shows had no comment on Trump‘s speech from last evening. Cannot be that. Can they be that afraid
of…— Frank Ferriolo (@Spaceman3810) July 17, 2026
45 minutes into Fox and Friends and zero mention of Trumps speech.
What am I missing?😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
— Phyllis (@Phyllis94584953) July 17, 2026
In April 2023, the network reached a $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.
Dominion alleged that the network spread false information about the machines and their effect on the 2020 election.
The settlement averted a trial in the voting machine manufacturer’s lawsuit.
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Michael Schwarz holds a Ph.D. in History and has taught at multiple colleges and universities. He has published one book and numerous essays on Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Early U.S. Republic. He loves dogs, baseball, and freedom. After meandering spiritually through most of early adulthood, he has rediscovered his faith in midlife and is eager to continue learning about it from the great Christian thinkers.
Michael Schwarz holds a Ph.D. in History and has taught at multiple colleges and universities. He has published one book and numerous essays on Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Early U.S. Republic. He loves dogs, baseball, and freedom. After meandering spiritually through most of early adulthood, he has rediscovered his faith in midlife and is eager to continue learning about it from the great Christian thinkers.
