Newsmax is a right-leaning news outlet and TV network that’s long been known for conservatism and Trump support- sometimes going even beyond where Fox News is willing to go. It even hung on longer with 2020 election conspiracy theories than even Fox was willing to, also earning lawsuits from voting machine manufacturers who had been named in conspiracy theories.
Now, though, it appears that Newsmax has gotten on Trump’s bad side.
According to Mediaite, Trump was taking questions Monday at Mar-a-Lago when he took a question from Newsmax reporter Mike Carter, who had asked him, “Iran’s foreign ministry is saying you’re not telling the truth when it comes to productive conversations to end the war.”
“Well, they’re gonna have to get themselves better public relations people,” Trump replied.
TRUMP: Who are you with?
REPORTER: Newsmax
TRUMP: You’re not doing a very good job
REPORTER: You deployed ICE–
TRUMP: You’re not doing a good job. Did you hear me? I’m taking CNN over Newsmax. Can you believe it? pic.twitter.com/tKpwRp5dh5
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 23, 2026
Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.
When Carter tried to ask Trump about ICE agents being deployed to American airports, the president cut him off, asking who he was with.
“Newsmax, sir,” he said.
“You know, you’re not doing a very good job,” Trump said. He went on to refuse to answer another of Carter’s questions, instead calling on a reporter from CNN.
“You’re not doing a good job, did you hear me?” Trump said, “Can you believe it? I’m taking CNN over Newsmax, can you believe it?”
Indeed, Trump has long been much tougher on CNN than he has been on Newsmax.
When later taking a shot at recently departed national security official Joe Kent, Trump suggested that Kent may have a future working in the media.
“He goes out and says that Iran is not a threat to get publicity… he probably signed up with CNN,” Trump said of Kent, before turning again to the Newsmax reporter. “Or maybe he signed up with your division of Newsmax.”
Later, Trump said of Carter, “I don’t think he’s going to be at Newsmax long.”
An Arizona newspaper columnist looked into why Trump might be mad at Newsmax, beyond just that one question.
“Is it a sign that Newsmax is toughening its coverage of Trump? (Its coverage of the war in Iran is noticeably less favorable than you might expect),” Arizona Republic columnist Bill Goodykoontz wrote. “Who knows? Who cares what Newsmax does? More likely, this is just Trump being Trump, angry because he’s not getting the softball questions and transactional praise he thinks he deserves. Either way, it’s nice to see him pressed for real answers, no matter who’s asking.”
Photo courtesy of an X screenshot.
