Charlie Kirk, who bashed Murdoch media ‘hit job, tapped to host Fox & Friends Weekend
This will be the Turning Point USA founder's first time hosting a show on Fox News. As Axios first reported, Kirk is set to join regular Fox & Friends Weekend co-hosts Rachel Campos-Duffy and Charlie Hurt on the curvy couch this coming Saturday and Sunday.
With the dog days of summer upon us, cable news networks are reaching deep into their benches to fill out hosting slots, as this is prime vacation time for anchors and reporters. Therefore, it isn't surprising to see Fox News turn to outside personalities for one-off hosting gigs during this time of year, especially someone with a well-established audience like Kirk, who hosts a radio show and a top-rated podcast.
What does make this stand out, though, is that Kirk was one of the MAGA influencers who was highly critical of the Wall Street Journal's bombshell story on the 'bawdy' birthday card Donald Trump allegedly sent deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. According to the WSJ , the card included a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman, with Trump's signature mimicking pubic hair.
The report, which Trump immediately described as 'fake,' led to the president suing the Wall Street Journal and its owner Rupert Murdoch, who also owns Fox News. Meanwhile, the story appeared to dissipate the MAGA uproar over the Epstein files, as prominent conservatives who had grown increasingly frustrated with the administration's handling of the saga quickly rallied around the president over their shared disdain of the mainstream media.
MAGA podcaster and TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk is set to serve as a guest co-host on Fox & Friends Weekend this coming Saturday and Sunday. (Getty Images)
'This is not how Trump talks at all. I don't believe it,' Kirk tweeted in response to the Wall Street Journal story shortly after it was published. He would go on and share other social media posts from Vice President JD Vance, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Donald Trump Jr. blasting the report as defamatory.
Kirk would be even more outspoken about the story on his radio show this week, where he fumed that the WSJ 'attempted a terrible drive-by… of our phenomenal president' while applauding Trump for his $10 billion lawsuit against Murdoch.
'As soon as I read this story, I said this is the dumbest, obviously fakest thing. I don't believe it,' he declared. 'Now I quickly, and we quickly, came to the president's defense because this thing was obviously a hit job. Obviously, a drive-by shooting trying to go after President Trump and trying to tie some of the Epstein news to President Trump to try to bring down his approval rating.'
Meanwhile, the MAGA backlash against the WSJ as Trump comes for Murdoch has put Fox News in something of a bind, especially considering that the conservative cable giant shares a symbiotic relationship with the president and has helped staff up his administration.
Left without the option of doing what is the network's standard modus operandi, which is parroting Trump's attacks on the mainstream media, Fox News has also decided against defending its sister publication and its owner. This has resulted in the network largely ignoring both the WSJ's blockbuster article and the president's lawsuit, mentioning both only a handful of times since last week.
Additionally, the network has also devoted significantly less airtime to the Epstein controversy than its cable news rivals and even other right-wing outlets. After the president began ordering his supporters to 'stop talking about' Epstein, Fox News has pulled way back on its coverage of the drama surrounding the administration's handling of the flies, prompting MAGA media competitors to outright mock the 'terrified' network for not wanting to 'p*ss off' Trump.
Sharing common ground with Fox News on the issue, Kirk has also sought to heed the president's demand that the MAGA base move on from Epstein and instead concentrated on the various seeming distractions he's tossed out into the ether, such as changing sports teams' names back to racist caricatures or reigniting the 'Russia Witch Hunt' conspiracy and demanding 'Barack Hussein Obama' be charged with treason.
After hosting a TPUSA student event that featured young activists railing against Trump over the DOJ memo that concluded Epstein died by suicide and didn't keep a 'client list,' Kirk returned to his podcast that Monday and said he was 'done talking about Epstein' and would instead 'trust my friends in the government.'
That announcement came shortly after it was reported that Trump personally called Kirk to ask him to ease up on the criticism of Attorney General Pam Bondi, who had come under intense fire from MAGA loyalists over the memo, particularly because she had previously said she had the so-called 'client list' on her desk for review.
Kirk would later backtrack from his proclamation that he was moving on from Epstein, declaring the following day that he had merely meant 'yesterday' when he said 'for the time being,' grousing that the 'fake news' had taken him out of context.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Inside Sydney Sweeney's secret life as a 'MAGA supporter' as she's revealed as a Republican following American Eagle backlash
Sydney Sweeney has become the unlikely symbol of the war against woke after she was confirmed to be a Republican voter following backlash to her American Eagle campaign. Up until now, the Euphoria star has remained tight-lipped on her voting preferences, but the reveal she votes Republican came as less of a surprise to some eagle-eyed fans. They spotted clues about her political affiliations since 2022 - including mentions of her 'conservative' relatives', her mother's 'make 60 great again' birthday party and handling a gun in an old video at a shooting range - after the jeans campaign became the subject of intense online discourse. After starring in the famously liberal HBO show Euphoria - with its open depictions of sexuality and drug use - Sydney, 27, seemed a surprising MAGA supporter, especially surrounded by her left-leaning co-stars Zendaya and Hunter Schafer. Now, the star has been confirmed to vote Red - even receiving an endorsement from President Trump, who said he 'loves' the actress. Speaking to The Daily Mail, the US leader said: 'Oh, now I love her ad. You'd be surprised at how many people are Republican. That's one I wouldn't have known, but I'm glad you told me that. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.' As noted by several fans, there have long been clues as to Sydney's political background as a Republican. She was even so nervous about her conservative relatives that she nearly didn't take the role that made her famous - as Cassie in Euphoria. Sydney told Stylecaster in 2021: 'What's crazy - and this is going to sound really bad- is when I first got sent the audition, I was too nervous to go do it. 'I grew up in a smaller town with my family, who are a little more conservative, and I was like, 'They're going to kill me if I do something like this.' Sydney grew up in a small, Catholic, Trump-supporting town in Washington with her father, Steven, mother, Lisa, and younger brother Trent and said she had a 'religious' upbringing. Much of the 27-year-old's family has remained in the red state, which voted for Trump by clear margins in each of his runs for president, except her dad, who lives 'off-grid' in Mexico. Despite Sydney's various anti-conservative acting roles, many became suspicious that Sydney might not align with her character's liberal views when internet sleuths found pro-MAGA content on her family's social media. Sydney came under fire when she threw a surprise party for her mum's 60th, where guests were wearing MAGA-style hats and 'Blue Lives Matter' shirts. The starlet shared a carousel of snaps from the bash on Instagram, and fans were quick to point out the political garb worn by some of the attendees. A post by her brother Trent later revealed the hats didn't have the infamous Trump party line, a dog whistle originally uttered by Ronald Reagan, but the slogan 'Make Sixty Great Again'. He wrote at the time: 'Yee haw, happy 60th birthday mom! (The hats say Make Sixty Great Again btw).' The Guardian reported that after the party, that a picture of a baby wearing a MAGA hat outside the White House was found on Trent's Instagram account. Regardless, Sydney was forced to hit back against the backlash, claiming the hats and shirts were worn by her mum's friends at the party as a 'joke'. 'You guys this is wild. An innocent celebration for my moms milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention. Please stop making assumptions. Much love to everyone and Happy Birthday Mom!' she said in a Tweet. Meanwhile, Sweeney was seen in an old shooting range video, which has now been dug up by fans. The clip has now gone viral as it presented how well she can handle a gun; her choice was a Glock, a semi‑automatic pistols designed and manufactured by the Austrian company Glock GmbH. In this old video of Sweeney shooting a gun, it's clear she is comfortable with the assault weapon as she is quick to load, aim and fire, even doing impressive 'double taps.' The siren then beams with pride after being told by other women that she nailed the shots. It was clear this was not the first time she handled a gun and fans were quick to comment on her skills. 'Sydney Sweeney has insane handgun skills,' said one while another added, 'She doesn't just have great jeans; she's also a total pro at the firing range, unloading 17 rounds in just 9 seconds.' Later in 2022, when Sydney spoke to GQ about the accusations that she and her family are republicans, stating there was 'nothing' she could say to 'help the conversation'. 'It's been turning into a wildfire, and nothing I can say will take it back to the correct track,' she said. She spoke about the incident again with Variety in 2023, claiming the controversy caused 'so many misinterpretations'. 'The people in the pictures weren't even my family. The people who brought the things that people were upset about were actually my mom's friends from L.A. who have kids that are walking outside in the Pride parade, and they thought it would be funny to wear because they were coming to Idaho,' she explained. 'People are so fast to build someone up, and then they love tearing them down, and it's so fascinating to see. Three years ago, I was going to college just like everybody else. And all of a sudden, I'm not a human anymore.' Sydney's acting pursuits started when she presented her parents with a five-year business plan outlining how she planned to succeed in the cut-throat industry. 'My mom is a lawyer, and my dad is in the medical field, so school has always been really important. I've always known how to communicate to them through that way,' she told Coveteur in 2019. She and her immediate family uprooted their lives to move to LA when Sydney was 13 to support her dream. Trent tried his hand at acting briefly before enlisting in the military, and he is now part of the United States Air Force. Her parents later divorced in the mid-2010s as her fame was rising before filing for bankruptcy, which Sydney admitted to feeling partially responsible for. 'My parents sacrificed so much to support my dream, and they lost so much during it,' she told Variety in 2023. 'I just felt a responsibility to show them that it was worth it.' She told British GQ in 2022 that since achieving fame, her family 'doesn't understand' her or 'the world (she's) in anymore'. After his split, Sydney's dad moved to Mexico, where he prefers to be disconnected from the world. 'He lives on a ranch in Mexico, and doesn't have internet or cell service,' she shared with Varity. 'I know he's proud of me, and I know he's like, 'Wow, this is a crazy world!'' The isolation made him completely unprepared for the nature of Sydney's role in the hit TV show Euphoria, where she plays the highly-sexualised character, Cassie, who, during the course of the program, was the victim of revenge porn and had an abortion. 'My mum visited me on set quite a few times, so she knew the story,' she said in an interview with NBC's Sunday Today. 'I didn't prepare my dad at all. I mean, how do you bring it up in conversation? And when I talk to my dad, it's usually not about work. It's just, 'Hey, dad'.' Unbeknownst to Sydney at the time, her dad held a viewing party with family and friends for the show's release in support of his daughter, but had no idea about the program's sexual and liberal themes. 'My dad and my grandpa turned it off and walked out,' she said. 'My grandma... she's a fan. She's a big supporter. I bring her all over the world to my different sets and I make her an extra.' The actress even brought her grandmothers to the premiere of her movie Immaculate in which she plays a Catholic nun. Sydney 's political party affiliation has now been revealed as she continues to be embroiled in backlash from her recent American Eagle denim campaign. She is a member of the Republican Party of Florida, according to public voter records viewed by Daily Mail. She registered in Monroe County, Florida in June 2024. Daily Mail has reached out to Sydney's rep for comment but did not immediately hear back. Buzzfeed was first to report the news not long after one social media user on X uploaded a now-viral post on Friday. They wrote, 'was about to make a whole youtube video exploring sydney sweeney's choices not defending her but going through her career context and i just found out this lady is an actual registered member of the republican party as of 2024.' It came after the star modeled items for the clothing brand under the tagline 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.' The ad blew up on social media, with some labeling the campaign as 'Nazi propaganda' and others calling the backlash 'ridiculous.' American Eagle has since defended the star in a statement released earlier this week. In one clip for the denim brand, the Anyone But You actress could be seen buttoning a pair of denim blue jeans while saying: 'Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My genes are blue.' Another clip filmed the star wearing a denim jumpsuit with a plunging neckline on the front as the camera panned down towards her chest. 'My body's composition is determined by my genes,' she said, and then stopped to add, 'Hey, eyes up here.' The camera then jumped back up to her face. The ad also triggered the discovery that Sydney votes Red, as fans offered differing viewpoints on the actress's political party registration by jumping to X, with one penning, 'are we really surprised? lol.' 'I would like to say im im not,' another typed, and one added, 'Her playing a character who supports women's rights while being registered Republican in Florida is something!' An X user shared, 'oh so she's part of the maga family, that's disappointing,' while others came to her defense. 'Its okay for people to have different views than you,' one commented, while a fan also said, 'Y'all need to stop harassing her. She's a human being and is allowed to vote for whoever she wants. There's a thing called free will people.' Another added, 'If every celeb's voter registration became public, we'd probably cancel 80% of Hollywood,' and one wrote, 'Why is this anyone's business? She's an actress, not your elected official.' Sydney's American Eagle campaign has been hugely divisive online, with one critic writing: 'So Sydney (& American Eagle) somehow expect audiences to not interpret this visual as a euphemism for eugenics and white supremacy?' Another said, 'The Sydney Sweeney American Eagle ad campaign is just modern day Nazi propaganda. Like it's wild how blatant it is. Things are weird right now, man.' The words 'great genes' have been 'historically used to celebrate whiteness, thinness and attractiveness,' per a Salon report. The outlet added that using the phrase also made the ads 'seem to be a tone-deaf marketing move.' Earlier this week on Friday, Sydney was defended by American Eagle as the company released a statement amid the backlash. ''Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' is and always was about the jeans,' the brand wrote. 'Her jeans. her story. 'We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.' Buzzfeed was first to report the news not long after one social media user on X uploaded a now-viral post on Friday The Euphoria actress also broke her silence on Saturday by making a return to social media with a cryptic post. She uploaded a photo of a bouquet of pink roses and added a white heart emoji over the image. Insiders have also revealed the impact that the ad starring Sydney has had on the brand - and have claimed that 70% of the reaction to the campaign has been positive. 'This is yet another example of how social media is just not reflective of real life. The absurd response from some corners of the internet is absolutely not reflective of how American Eagle's customers feel,' sources told TMZ. 'The bottom line is that this was about creating a great pair of jeans and supporting a very worthy cause through some of the proceeds going to domestic violence prevention.' They continued, 'Anything beyond that is noise that is not registering with the average person. 'Regardless of how people feel about the ad, we hope they can agree we should be doing more to support and empower those who are experiencing domestic violence.' Late last month on July 23, Sydney opened up about her involvement in the denim campaign in a news release. Earlier this week on Friday, Sydney was defended by American Eagle as the company released a statement amid the backlash 'There is something so effortless about American Eagle,' she expressed. 'It's the perfect balance of being put-together but still feeling like yourself. 'Their commitment to creating pieces that make you feel confident and comfortable in your own skin is something that resonates with me.' The star added, 'It's rare to find a brand that grows with you, the way American Eagle has for generations. They have literally been there with me through every version of myself.' The president of the company Jennifer Foyle also said of campaign, which is set to raise money for domestic violence charities: 'This fall season, American Eagle is celebrating what makes our brand iconic – trendsetting denim that leads, never follows. 'Innovative fits and endless versatility reflect how our community wears their denim: mixed, matched, layered and lived in.' Jennifer continued, 'With Sydney Sweeney front and center, she brings the allure, and we add the flawless wardrobe for the winning combo of ease, attitude and a little mischief.'
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Trump news at a glance: president hails progress on Ukraine war and threatens India with steep tariffs
US president Donald Trump may meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin as early as next week to discuss the war in Ukraine, White House officials have said. The development comes as senior administration officials have also warned that serious 'impediments' remain to achieving a ceasefire. Secretary of state Marco Rubio said he was hopeful the progress could lead to a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy in future, but that he did not want to overstate progress made during US special envoy Steve Witkoff's visit to Moscow. 'What we have is a better understanding of the conditions under which Russia would be willing to end the war,' he said. The US would then need to compare that with 'what the Ukrainians are willing to accept'. Here are today's key stories at a glance: Donald Trump has claimed 'great progress was made' during talks on ending the war in Ukraine between his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Wednesday. The three-hour talks came two days before a deadline the US president set for Russia to reach a peace deal in the war or face fresh sanctions. Read the full story The White House is placing an additional 25% tariff on imports from India, bringing total tariffs up to 50%, in retaliation for the country's purchase of oil from Russia, according to an executive order signed on Wednesday morning. India has 21 days to respond to the potential tariffs before they go into effect. The tariffs will be tacked on to a 25% tariff on India Donald Trump set last week as a 'penalty' for the country's trading relationship with Russia. Read the full story Donald Trump on Wednesday celebrated a commitment by Apple to increase its investments in US manufacturing by an additional $100bn over the next four years. Apple's plan to up its domestic investment comes as it seeks to avoid Trump's threatened tariffs, which would increase the tech giant's costs as it relies on a complex international supply chain to produce its iPhones. Read the full story Donald Trump said he would impose a 100% tariff on foreign computer chips, likely raising the cost of electronics, autos, household appliances and other goods deemed essential for the digital age. Read the full story Texas Democrats who left the state say they experienced a bomb threat at their Illinois hotel amid an ongoing clash with Republicans over their effort to block a new congressional map from going into place. Read the full story A new report has found hundreds of reported cases of human rights abuses in US immigration detention centers. The alleged abuses uncovered include deaths in custody, physical and sexual abuse of detainees, denial of access to attorneys, and child separation. Read the full story The report comes on the same day that US border patrol agents carried out a raid outside a Home Depot in Los Angeles on Wednesday, with officers jumping out of an unmarked rental truck and chasing and arresting more than a dozen people. The raid raised questions about whether the US government was complying with a federal court order. Read the full story In a sweeping escalation of its attacks on institutions of higher education, Trump administration has suspended $584m in federal funding for the University of California, Los Angeles – nearly double the amount that was previously expected, the school's chancellor announced on Wednesday. Read the full story JD Vance's team had the army corps of engineers take the unusual step of changing the outflow of a lake in Ohio to accommodate a recent boating excursion on a family holiday, the Guardian has learned. Read the full story Republican senator and Trump ally Marsha Blackburn announced she will run for governor of Tennessee. Donald Trump is threatening to strip Washington DC of its local governance and place it under direct federal control after an alleged assault on a Doge employee. JD Vance was reportedly to host a meeting on Wednesday evening at his residence with a handful of senior Trump administration officials to discuss their strategy for dealing with the ongoing scandal surrounding the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Donald Trump is threatening to strip Washington DC of its local governance and place the US capital under direct federal control, citing what he described as rampant youth crime. Catching up? Here's what happened on 5 August 2025.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Trump wants National Guard to tackle crime in DC after violent attack on 'Big Balls'
President Trump vowed to 'federalize' Washington and send in the National Guard on Wednesday to crush violent crime in the nation's capital, citing the brutal assault of a young pro-Trump staffer known by the nickname 'Big Balls' as a breaking point. During a press conference Trump confirmed he is actively considering seizing control of DC law enforcement - a drastic step that would override local government authority and place the capital's policing under federal command. 'We're considering it because the crime is ridiculous,' Trump told reporters. 'We have a capital that's very unsafe. You know, we just almost lost a young man, beautiful, handsome guy that got the hell knocked out of him the night before last. I'm going to call him now.' The young man Trump referenced is Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old government worker affectionately dubbed 'Big Balls' by his colleagues. Coristine was violently beaten during an attempted carjacking near Dupont Circle around 3am Sunday, while defending his girlfriend from a group of teenage assailants. Two 15-year-olds have since been arrested in connection with the attack, which left Coristine hospitalized with a concussion and facial injuries. The case has quickly become the focus for Trump's broader campaign to dismantle what he calls ' Democrat chaos' in the capital. 'There's too much of it,' Trump said. 'We're going to do something about it… and that includes bringing in the National Guard - maybe very quickly.' Trump, who returned to the White House for a second term pledging to 'crush the deep state' and restore 'law and order,' has repeatedly portrayed Washington, DC, as a lawless zone of crime and dysfunction. 'We want to have a great, safe capital - and we're going to have it,' he said. 'That includes cleanliness, it includes other things… graffiti, roads that are in bad shape, medians that are falling down. We're going to beautify the city.' Asked by a reporter whether he supported overturning the DC Home Rule Act, which grants the city limited self-governance, Trump confirmed his legal team was 'already studying it.' 'We have to run DC,' he declared. 'This has to be the best-run place in the country, not the worst-run place in the country. And it has so much potential.' The remarks come just days after Trump posted an image of Coristine with blood running down his face, writing on Truth Social that D.C. crime was 'out of control' and that teenage criminals were 'randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent citizens.' 'They are not afraid of law enforcement because they know nothing ever happens to them, but it's going to happen now!' Trump warned. Coristine, who became known as 'Big Balls' for his outspoken fearlessness during late-night brainstorming sessions with Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has become an unexpected symbol of the administration's push to remake the capital. 'My friend Big Balls is a hero,' wrote close friend Marko Elez on X, sharing a photo of Coristine after the assault. 'He protected a young woman from an attempted carjacking by 8 thugs near Dupont Circle. 'Violence like this in the heart of DC is completely unacceptable,' Elez added. Even Elon Musk, under whom Coristine once worked as part of DOGE's original design team weighed in online. 'A Doge team member saw what was happening, ran to defend her and was severely beaten to the point of concussion, but he saved her,' Musk wrote. 'It is time to federalize DC.' Coristine, whose boyish face and Ivy League pedigree belied his MAGA bulldog persona, previously appeared in a Fox News segment highlighting his work to cut federal waste. But now his injuries, sustained in what police say was an attempted robbery by a group of teenagers, have made him the face of Trump's federal crime crackdown. While the Metropolitan Police Department confirmed it arrested two teens from Maryland in connection with the attack, but DC officials have been tight-lipped about further details. A spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office declined to confirm additional charges, citing an active investigation. Attorney General Brian Schwalb addressed the outrage in a statement to The Daily Mail. 'No one who lives in, works in, or visits DC should experience this. It is horrific and disturbing… When MPD brings us cases with sufficient evidence of juveniles who have broken the law and hurt people, we will prosecute them and ensure they face consequences.' But that's not good enough for Trump, or Jeanine Pirro, his newly appointed U.S. Attorney for the District. 'Our job is to get guns off the street, drugs off the street, and take care of those individuals that are threatening and carjacking other people,' Pirro said in a video message from the White House. 'And that's just what we're going to do. If you don't buy into it, you're going to have to deal with us.' The episode has reignited long-simmering Republican calls to strip Washington, D.C., of its autonomy, or at least curtail it dramatically. Trump allies in Congress have already proposed legislation to repeal home rule and bring the capital under full federal control. That effort is certain to face resistance from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who h as not commented publicly on Coristine's assault but has in the past fiercely defended the city's right to govern itself. While violent crime in the capital is reportedly down more than 25% from this time last year, carjackings and juvenile involvement in violent incidents remain stubbornly high. Just last year, a 14-year-old was charged with the killing of a Lyft driver in another high-profile carjacking. 'The rate of crime, the rate of muggings, killings, and everything else - we're not going to let it continue,' Trump asserted. 'You're going to be safe walking down streets. You're not going to get mugged.'
