On April 17, 2026, President Donald Trump unleashed a scathing attack on Fox News co-host Jessica Tarlov from Air Force One, calling the Democratic strategist “one of the least attractive and talented people” on television in a Truth Social post that marked his third major assault on the liberal panelist since late March.
The outburst followed Tarlov’s presentation on “The Five” that day of damaging polling data showing Trump’s approval rating at 35 percent in most surveys, along with deep public dissatisfaction over tariffs, negative views of the U.S. war in Iran and widespread opposition to the proposed White House ballroom project. “No Americans wanted the tariffs, they didn’t want the war in Iran, and they don’t want the ballroom,” she told the panel.
Trump responded by accusing Tarlov of fabricating poll numbers and insisting his own approval ratings were historically strong, even claiming CNN had once measured his support at “100 percent.” He demanded Fox News remove her from the air, writing: “GET HER OFF THE AIR, SHE IS BAD FOR OUR COUNTRY!”
Fox News executives have refused to budge despite the president’s months-long campaign to force the network to drop Tarlov, and she has remained a fixture on the panel while continuing to promote her forthcoming book, “I Disagree.”
The Numbers Behind the Fight
The polling data Tarlov cited is not invented, contrary to the president’s claims. According to The Economist, Trump’s net approval sits at -18, with 38 percent of Americans approving of his job performance, 56 percent disapproving and six percent unsure. YouGov tracking shows only 19 percent of voters believe the economy is improving, while 59 percent say it is getting worse — a sharp deterioration from the start of his second term. Net approval for his handling of inflation has tumbled to -35, down from -23 in February 2026, with declines across Democrats, independents and even Republicans.
In her response on X after the April 17 attack, Tarlov wrote: “Guess I’ll take this opportunity to mention that my numbers are far from fake—Trump really is that unpopular.” She has continued sparring on air with co-hosts Greg Gutfeld and Jesse Watters, challenging Trump’s framing of an Iran ceasefire and refusing to soften her polling commentary.
A Feud That Keeps Escalating
The president’s fixation on Tarlov began on March 27, 2026, when Trump phoned into “The Five” while she was off set and told her co-hosts he “wasn’t a fan,” adding, “I think your show would be better without her, but who am I to say that? I think it would be a lot better.” Tarlov, traveling that day, quipped on X that had she been on the panel she would have pointed out the president was “even inflating his numbers to 42%.”
The situation escalated dramatically on April 6 when Trump posted on Truth Social in a message addressed to “Fox executives only,” demanding the network fire Tarlov outright and calling her “a real loser” whose viewers “cannot stand watching her.” In the same string of posts, he turned on “Fox News Sunday” anchor Shannon Bream, complaining she did not aggressively rebut Democratic guests such as Representative Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts and griping about her referring to the “Save Act” rather than what Trump called the “Save America Act.”
By April 17, the president’s attacks had become deeply personal. “Her voice is so grating and terrible, I had to ‘turn her off!'” he wrote, claiming she “makes up ‘Poll Numbers,’ and nobody challenges her, because she is so boring.”
Other Hosts in the Crosshairs
Tarlov is not the only media figure facing presidential fury. In the same April 17 post, Trump claimed Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens were “dying fast” in the ratings and had been exposed as “FAKE MAGA.” Kelly drew his attention after telling Piers Morgan that the Iran war was “folly,” a description that clearly stung the White House as casualty numbers and ceasefire disputes with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dominated coverage.
The president’s pattern of targeting female journalists has drawn renewed scrutiny. In February 2026, he berated CNN’s Kaitlan Collins as “the worst reporter,” telling her she never smiles because “you know you’re not telling the truth.” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson has defended the broadsides as having “nothing to do with gender” and “everything to do with the fact that the President’s and the public’s trust in the media is at all-time lows.”
Fox Holds the Line
Network executives have not publicly commented on the April 6 or April 17 posts, and Tarlov has remained on “The Five,” continuing to clash with her conservative co-hosts despite the cascade of presidential demands.
Social media defenders have rallied around the host, with many arguing the president’s obsession only strengthens her position. As one widely shared post put it, Tarlov “lives rent free in his head.”
For now, the standoff shows no signs of cooling. Trump keeps posting. Tarlov keeps citing the polls. And the network that built its brand on conservative loyalty appears, at least in this fight, unwilling to let the White House dictate its lineup.