Fox News Thrive with Trump Support: Bret Baier Gaining on Rivals

The show's anchor shared in an interview, 'Having the president as a frequent viewer of the show is not a bad thing.'

Michael Grynbaum reports on how media and politics intertwine.

Traditional Networks Face New Challenges

Despite recent shifts in the media industry, it was a long-standing belief that ABC, NBC, and CBS commanded the largest nightly news viewership.

This assumption is being tested in the era of the second Trump presidency.

Bret Baier's Newsmaking Success

Recently, Fox News's 'Special Report,' overseen by Bret Baier, surpassed 'CBS Evening News' in viewership, particularly in the show’s second segment which aired from 6:30 to 7 PM Eastern. This segment attracted an audience of 1.8 million more viewers than CBS, reflecting a 47% increase.

This isn't the first instance; earlier, Mr. Baier outperformed his traditional competitors. On February 28, his broadcast, featuring a conversation with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky shortly after a significant White House meeting with President Trump, also saw higher ratings than 'CBS Evening News.'

Rising Ratings in 2025

Historically, ABC, CBS, and NBC have attracted more nightly viewers than Fox during similar timeslots. However, in 2025, Baier approaches close competition with these giants. His audience size has surpassed ABC’s 'World News Tonight' in nearly twelve localized markets and has beaten NBC’s numbers in some major East Coast cities, as per Nielsen data.

Factors Influencing Fox’s Growth

Shifts in news consumption patterns are one reason for Fox's increased popularity. Trust in traditional news outlets has plummeted, and Fox’s shows, known for their pro-Trump perspectives, are resonating well with viewers, especially following Trump's re-election.

Meanwhile, CBS has faced hurdles following their recent change in 'Evening News' anchors after Norah O'Donnell's departure. The revamped format has not captured viewer interest, widening the gap between CBS and its competitors, ABC and NBC.