In a major ratings win, Vice President Kamala Harris’s first-ever interview on Fox News drew an impressive 7.1 million viewers, more than double the audience that tuned in to watch former President Donald Trump’s town hall earlier the same day.
According to Fox News, Harris’s sit-down with anchor Bret Baier on Wednesday garnered more viewership than Trump’s 2.9 million during his event hosted by Harris Faulkner.
The ratings surprise comes as both political figures ramp up their campaign efforts just weeks before Election Day.
Harris’s appearance sparked significant interest as it marked her debut on the conservative-leaning network, while Trump, a more frequent Fox News guest, saw his ratings dip compared to previous interviews.
Although evening programming, such as Harris’s, typically attracts more viewers than daytime segments, her interview still outperformed Trump’s recent appearances, including a September interview with Greg Gutfeld, which drew 4.9 million viewers.
The face-off between Harris and Baier included contentious exchanges over immigration, transgender rights, and Harris’s distancing from President Biden’s policies, adding to the intrigue and likely boosting viewership.
Critics, including Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt, were quick to label Harris’s interview a “train wreck,” accusing her of being defensive and evasive.
However, the strong ratings suggest that public interest in Harris’s performance far exceeded expectations, possibly bolstered by weeks of Republican criticism over her media presence.
