Donald Trump rages at Fox News over 'insulting' midterm exit polls and angrily texts host live on air

As the first polls closed on the 2026 midterm elections, Donald Trump turned his wrath directly toward Fox News, furiously attacking the conservative cable giant over its exit poll numbers, personal attacks on its on-air talent, and even texting a host live during a broadcast.

Despite making an early morning appearance on the network to rally Republican voters, Trump spent Tuesday evening erupting on Truth Social as Fox's "Voter Poll" painted a grim picture for the GOP.

Among other bruising data points, the network's exit polling revealed that 87 percent of respondents cited grave concerns over soaring gas prices—with a damning 62 percent laying the blame squarely at the feet of Trump's own policies.

The surveys also showed his personal approval rating hovering at just 38 percent, matching similarly dismal figures reported by CBS News and CNN.

Refusing to accept the numbers, Trump launched into a blistering broadside against the network's polling unit: "The FoxNews Poll, always the worst, is so insulting with the questions they ask. Every question is a hit job, and every answer is 'BULLS**!' This has been going on for years,"* Trump raged.

The President then pivoted his fury toward Fox News’ The Five, singling out resident liberal co-host Jessica Tarlov for personal ridicule: "Watching the Pre-Election Results on FoxNews, but I can't stand Jessica Tarlov's voice — DUMB AS A ROCK, but it's the voice that gets me. Have to go somewhere else until that LOSER is off the air — I'll be back later!"

Taking his grievances straight into the studio, Trump texted co-host Greg Gutfeld in the middle of the live broadcast, prompting Gutfeld to read the President’s rant directly over the airwaves: "Greg, tell Tarlov - who is the WORST - gas prices are lower than they were for Biden and Obama and they allowed Iran to have the nuclear bomb. Furthermore, I inherited the worst prices and inflation in history from Sleepy Joe. Prices are heading down FAST! Just like all other prices and so is inflation which is 1.7 percent. And there will be no 'nuclear bomb.'"

Tarlov wasted little time hitting back on social media, writing: "I realize my comments highlighting the highest gas prices on any Election Day aggravated the president, but reality is a tricky thing and he should get better at dealing with it."

Escalating the dispute beyond individual pundits, Trump claimed Fox News’ total audience had plummeted by 27 percent because the network spends "too much time covering the Trump Deranged Dumocrats!"

"It’s them, not me — My numbers are better than they have ever been," Trump claimed, touting favorable internal party polling while accusing parent company Fox Corp. of actively bankrolling top Democrats including Hakeem Jeffries, Jamie Raskin, Ted Lieu, and Pete Aguilar.

The President was not impressed by early exit poll results ( Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

"No wonder FoxNews Ratings are collapsing... They’re way down, not because of me, but because they are AGAINST me!" he insisted.

Trump’s public unraveling unfolded as his own allies on the network openly braced for catastrophic midterm losses. On air, Fox host Jesse Watters struck a despondent tone about the potential loss of congressional control: "I don’t feel great. I feel like I’m about to play a game that I know I’m gonna lose," Watters admitted. "Getting hurt would mean you lose the Senate. And right now the Senate is very much in play! And it’s making me angry! But I knew this was coming."

With more than 100 million ballots cast across 435 House seats and 35 Senate races, Republicans hold a razor-thin 218–214 majority in the House, meaning Democrats need a net pickup of just three seats to hand the Speaker's gavel to Hakeem Jeffries. Over in the Senate, Democrats must flip four seats to dismantle the GOP’s 53–47 advantage.

Facing the reality of a divided government engulfed by inevitable congressional investigations into his administration, Trump signaled he is ready for total legislative warfare, telling CBS News over the phone that he will aggressively wield executive power.

"I have the ultimate power," Trump warned. "It's called 'veto.'"