Former President Donald Trump says he will lobby conservative news tycoon Rupert Murdoch not to run negative ads or bring people on the airwaves that might spread falsehoods about his campaign.
Mr. Trump previewed a planned Friday meeting with the News Corp. leader, whose empire includes Fox News Channel, at the end of an interview on the couch at “Fox & Friends.”
“Don’t put on negative commercials for 21 days,” Mr. Trump said of his intended message for Mr. Murdoch. “And don’t put on — there are horrible people who come on and lie,”
“I’m gonna say, ‘Rupert, please, do it this way, and then we’re gonna have a victory, because I think everyone wants to have a victory,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump has a love-hate relationship with Fox News Channel. He often sits for friendly interviews with “Fox & Friends” and evening TV personalities, though complains when guests on the channel insult him.
Vice President Kamala Harris sat for an interview Wednesday with Fox’s Bret Baier, though Mr. Trump complimented the way Mr. Baier handled the tough sitdown.
Mr. Trump previewed his plea to Mr. Murdoch after a free-wheeling interview on the “curvy couch” in Fox’s Manhattan offices. He is locked in a tight battle with Ms. Harris, the Democratic nominee whose campaign has raised well over $1 billion, with much of that war chest to fund attack ads in the campaign’s final weeks.
The Washington Times reached out to the Trump campaign for comment on what, exactly, Mr. Trump is expecting from Mr. Murdoch.
The race will likely be decided by tens of thousands of votes in several swing states. Mr. Trump is polling well with men but faces a popularity deficit with women voters.
“Without abortion, the women love me,” Mr. Trump said.
Ms. Harris is hammering Mr. Trump over abortion because he appointed three of the Supreme Court justices who overturned the broad right to the procedure in the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
Mr. Trump defended his approach, saying each state has the chance to weigh in on limits and access.
“That issue has torn our country apart for 52 years,” Mr. Trump said. “I got it out through six very brave judges who are also brilliant.”
He pointed to ballot-measure votes in Ohio and Kansas that were relatively “liberal” despite the political complexion of each state.
“People are voting,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump hammered his Democratic rivals over immigration, saying he rode up Madison Avenue for the Manhattan interview and migrants are “sleeping all over the streets.”
“They have an open border, they’re gonna always have an open border,” Mr. Trump said.
He said areas of the country have been taken over by illegal immigrant gangs, an allusion to turmoil at an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado.
“There are many Auroras, but you haven’t heard about it,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump also said Americans can have “all the gas stoves you want” if he returns to the White House, a swipe at liberal efforts to move away from the popular method for cooking and heating.
The former president said efforts to corral inflation and costs would start with energy. His platform calls for an across-the-board approach to energy sources, hoping to draw a contrast with Democrats who want to move away from fossil fuels.
“All the gas stoves you want,” Mr. Trump said. “They’re restricting all the stuff you want.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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