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CEO Of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. Says Donald Trump’s Election Win Lifted “Yoke Of Woke” From U.S. Businesses

Feb 5, 2025

Robert Thomson, CEO of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, didn’t exactly tiptoe around the subject of politics when presiding over the company’s quarterly earnings call Wednesday.

During prepared remarks about the company’s fiscal second-quarter results, Thomson portrayed the Donald Trump’s win over Kamala Harris in rosy terms for corporate America. Unlike Lachlan Murdoch, CEO of Murdoch’s other public media company, Fox Corp., who is generally more publicly coy and circumspect on the topic of Trump, Thomson struck a celebratory tone.

“One rather general, generic post-election observation: We are seeing a tangible increase in confidence in U.S. businesses since the election,” he said, making an exception for Trump’s haphazardly implemented tariffs. “There is the confluence of economic optimism and the cultural awakening with the yoke of woke having been lifted. We believe these trends should lead to less superfluous, gratuitous regulation; greater capital formation; increased opportunities for all Americans; and more candid, creative, compelling conversations. Hopefully, an era of censorship and self-censorship is receding into the distance.”

Murdoch, who turns 94 next month, made a notable appearance at the White House several days ago, signaling his support for Trump. Over the decade when Trump has been a major figure in presidential politics, relations with Murdoch and key conservative media assets like Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post, has varied. But several victory laps akin to Thomason’s have been run across Murdoch’s media empire of late.

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News Corp edged Wall Street analysts’ estimates in the quarter, with revenue coming in at $2.23 billion and earnings per share at 33 cents. Results in digital real estate and the Dow Jones finance and professional service unit overcame softness in the company’s news media business.