Donald Trump issued a test of Fox Corporation's loyalty by demanding the media company dump Paul Ryan from its board of directors.
The former House speaker declared Trump "unfit for office" earlier this month on Fox News, and he has previously written him off as an "authoritarian" and a "narcissist" — and the presumptive Republican nominee decided to seek revenge.
"Nobody can ever trust Fox News, and I am one of them, with the weak and ineffective RINO, Paul Ryan, on its Board of Directors," Trump posted on Truth Social. "He’s a total lightweight, a failed and pathetic Speaker of the House, and a very disloyal person."
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Ryan, who unsuccessfully ran for vice president as Mitt Romney's running mate in 2012, faced criticism for remaining on the Fox News parent company's board following revelations that the network promoted Trump claims about his own election loss that were known to be false.
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"Romney was bad, but Paul Ryan made him look worse," Trump posted. "As a team, they never had a chance. Rupert and Lachlan, get that dog off your Board - You don’t need him. ALL YOU NEED IS TRUMP. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
Trump seems to be getting an early start on the revenge tour he's promised for a second term in office with his demand to Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan, who oversee the Fox media empire.
"Well revenge does take time. I will say that, and sometimes revenge can be justified," Trump told television host Dr. Phil McGraw a week after his conviction on 34 felony charges in the hush money case.
"You know the word 'revenge' is a very strong word, but maybe we have revenge for success," the ex-president added. "But that's what I'd like to see. I want to see the country survive, because this country is not going to survive like this."
