The list of mainstream news figures that Donald Trump hasn’t gone after continues to dwindle.
On Monday night, Trump turned his attention to Gayle King, the co-host of CBS Mornings, by sharing a New York Post story that cast doubt on her future at the network with the pending Skydance-Paramount Global merger, that’s set to close Thursday.
Trump posted on Truth Social: “Gayle King’s career is over. She should have stayed with her belief in TRUMP. She never had the courage to do so. No talent, no ratings, no strength!!!”
The Post story, quoting unnamed sources, described CBS Mornings as “woke,” citing an appearance earlier this year by Bob the Drag Queen, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race and author of the novel Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert. The story also cited the fact that King and another co-host, Nate Burleson, are Black, as is the executive producer, Shawna Thomas. The Post story cited Skydance’s commitment to the FCC that it would ensure that diversity, equity and inclusion programs were ended once the merger was completed.
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The story also cited Skydance’s commitment to the FCC to hire an ombudsman to take complaints of bias, even though the government agency’s authority over news content is very narrow, given the First Amendment.
A spokesperson for the CBS Mornings did not immediately return a request for comment.
In the morning show race, all of the networks are down versus the same period last year.
CBS Mornings averaged 1.8 million viewers the week of July 21, down 10% from 2 million for the same period a year earlier. Good Morning America posted 2.63 million, down 1% from 2.66 million in the same period in 2024. Today posted 2.3 million, down 12% from 2.61 million a year earlier.
In the 25-54 demo, CBS Mornings averaged 287,000, down 20% compared to 359,000 in the same period a year earlier. GMA averaged 481,000, essentially flat compared to 482,000 last year. Today averaged 474,000, down 20% from 591,000 in 2024. The figures are from Nielsen via ABC News and Adweek.
There are some caveats, as ratings typically increase a bit for news programming in the midst of an election year. Today also benefited last year from the first day of the Summer Olympics in Paris.
In advance of the FCC’s approval of the merger, Paramount settled Trump’s lawsuit over the way that 60 Minutes edited an interview with Kamala Harris. Even though Paramount attorneys had called the lawsuit meritless, they agreed to pay $16 million, most of which will go to Trump’s presidential library.
Trump also has touted CBS’ decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, announced just last month. The network said the show was dropped because of financial reasons.
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