Fox News Calls Election First: ‘This Isn’t the Moment for Unity’
Fox News called the 2024 presidential election for Republican nominee and former president Donald Trump early Wednesday morning, jumping ahead of other media outlets that were more cautious about making a final declaration.
Anchor Bret Baier announced the network's decision at 1:46am ET, noting its election team had tapped Trump to pass the 270 electoral vote threshold required to win the Oval Office.
"The former president's comeback will be complete with a win in Wisconsin, a state that he narrowly lost four years ago," said cohost Martha MacCallum. "He is now the second president in U.S. history to win nonconsecutive terms. The first was Grover Cleveland in the late 1800s. Senator JD Vance will become the 50th vice president of the United States."
Half an hour later, Trump appeared live at a rally in 2:27 ET to declare victory.
"This is the greatest political movement of all time, there's never been anything like this in this country," Trump told an elated crowd at the Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. "I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th president—and your 45th president."
Trump touted his lead in the popular vote and the Republican Party's strong chances of winning both houses of Congress, which Fox and other media networks had not officially called. He also acknowledged MAGA billionaire Elon Musk, who put tens of millions of his own money into getting the Republican elected back to the White House: "A star is born."
Other outlets were more cautious about calling the race, although pundits on CNN and other networks seemed resigned to a Trump victory, an impressive feat in the wake of the candidates stumbling final weeks on the campaign trail that raised concern about his prospects.
One Fox News personality, rather than calling for unity, was quick to say the president should gloat about his win.
"I believe in love thy neighbor and I all that but he has created something special here," said network commentator Dana Perino, shortly after the network called the result. "I kind of want him to take a victory lap tonight, this isn't the moment for unity, especially when [Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris ] won't concede and give him the night to celebrate."
Trump himself did not echo that sentiment.
"Every single family, I will fight for your future, every single day I will fight for you," he told Americans in his address.
