Rupert Murdoch Pushes for Doug Burgum as Trump’s Running Mate
Rupert Murdoch, the retired media mogul, is actively campaigning for former President Donald Trump to choose North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum as his running mate. Murdoch, 93, has been in frequent contact with Trump, personally advocating for Burgum and deploying his staff to Mar-a-Lago to support this cause.
Initially, Murdoch supported Ron DeSantis for the Republican nomination, but DeSantis’ disappointing performance in the primaries led him to exit the race before Super Tuesday. With Trump’s nomination becoming inevitable, Murdoch shifted his focus to influencing the GOP ticket by pushing for Burgum.
Murdoch has leveraged his U.S. media outlets to bolster Burgum’s profile. The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post have published editorials endorsing the North Dakota governor, who was relatively unknown before his presidential bid.
A source confirmed to DailyMail.com that Murdoch is deeply invested in influencing Trump’s choice of a running mate. Trump is expected to announce his pick at the upcoming Republican National Convention, with Burgum, Senator J.D. Vance, and Florida Senator Marco Rubio among the frontrunners. South Carolina’s Tim Scott is also reportedly in consideration.
Murdoch’s lobbying efforts, initially reported by NOTUS.com, have included numerous calls each day. However, his plan faces significant challenges. Trump likely remembers the favorable coverage Murdoch’s outlets gave DeSantis early in the race, which ultimately failed as Trump dominated the primaries.
A Fox News communications consultant mentioned to NOTUS.com that Murdoch has always viewed Trump as subordinate, which has been a source of frustration for him. The consultant suggested that Murdoch’s strategy involves promoting Burgum to groom him for the presidency and end “Trumpism.”
During Trump’s initial 2016 presidential campaign, he was a regular guest on Fox News, with Murdoch’s media empire playing a significant role in his rise to the nomination and eventual victory over Hillary Clinton. However, their relationship has soured since January 6 and the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit, which resulted in Murdoch paying $787 million in damages. Internal communications revealed skepticism among Fox executives, including Murdoch, about Trump’s claims that the election was stolen.
In November 2022, the New York Post ran a front-page headline, “Trumpty Dumpty,” following the Republicans’ poor performance in the midterms.
DailyMail.com has reached out to News Corp for comment.