President Donald Trump unloaded on Fox News personality Jessica Tarlov in an April 16th, 2026, Truth Social post, calling her one of television’s “Least Attractive and Talented People.” He accused the liberal commentator of inventing polling numbers and demanded her removal from the air. The broadside followed earlier criticism delivered directly to her colleagues on “The Five.”
The April dispute involved Tarlov’s criticism of Trump’s performance during a discussion with fellow panelists Kellyanne Conway and Greg Gutfeld. Tarlov argued that attacks on the Biden-Harris administration fell flat when compared with Trump’s record. Conway pointed to his election victory after running against the Biden-Harris economy, while Tarlov countered by citing unfavorable approval numbers. Gutfeld also entered the argument, defending the motivations behind Trump’s decisions.
Trump said he was watching television aboard Air Force One while traveling to Las Vegas and Arizona for appearances promoting his no-tax-on-tips policy. His post attacked Tarlov’s delivery before turning to her political commentary. “Her voice is so grating and terrible, I had to ‘turn her off!’” he wrote. “Her Democrat soundbites are FAKE.”
In his Truth Social post, Trump accused Tarlov of presenting fabricated figures without sufficient pushback from her fellow panelists. “She makes up ‘Poll Numbers,’ and nobody challenges her, because she is so boring.” He then issued an emphatic demand concerning her place on television: “GET HER OFF THE AIR, SHE IS BAD FOR OUR COUNTRY!”
Ten days earlier, Trump had addressed Fox management in a separate April 6th post that also criticized anchor Shannon Bream’s handling of Democratic guests. Turning to Tarlov, he wrote, “For Fox executives only, take Jessica Tarlov off the air.” He continued, “She is, from her voice, to her lies, and everything else about her, one of the worst ‘personalities’ on television, a real loser!” He added, “People cannot stand watching her.”
The feud had already become a topic on “The Five” during Trump’s March 26th telephone interview. Tarlov was absent, and Jesse Watters invited the president to join the panel in person for a future appearance. Watters specifically suggested seating him beside her and floated the possibility that Trump could influence his liberal colleague. Trump responded, “I watch Jessica and I’m not a fan.”
Trump then returned to the polling dispute during the interview, accusing Tarlov of using inaccurate numbers to describe his standing with voters. He objected to her presentation of his approval rating and compared misleading surveys with inaccurate reporting. “You know, bad journalists, they write fake stories. Well, fake polls do damage also.” He subsequently softened his assessment of Tarlov personally: “I’m sure I’d like her. I’m sure she’s a lovely person.”
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Watch Trump discuss Tarlov during his March 26th appearance on “The Five” here:
Trump also asked the hosts about Tarlov’s absence from that day’s broadcast. He raised the possibility that she had declined to participate or had been removed from the panel for his appearance. “Now tell me, did she not want to do it, or did you kick her off?” Trump asked. Watters explained that a scheduling conflict accounted for her absence: “We didn’t kick her off. She had a previous schedule that she couldn’t change.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.