Fox News paid $787.5 million to settle a libel lawsuit over airing false claims about the 2020 election, a stark reminder of how corporate interests defend their accumulated wealth. President Donald Trump is set to address the nation Thursday night, promising "really big news" and revisiting his long-running claims about the 2020 election and alleged foreign interference. This address follows years of false claims and conspiracy theories about that election, which have led to significant financial penalties for media outlets and individuals. Conservative networks Newsmax and One America News have also reached settlements with voting companies over airing similar allegations. A Denver jury found that Mike Lindell, whom Trump endorsed this week for Minnesota governor, defamed a voting machine company employee by calling him a traitor.
The Cost of Conspiracy
Trump has committed "untold taxpayer resources" to a review of the 2020 vote since returning to office last year, according to David Becker, who leads the Center for Election Integrity & Research. Federal agents have seized voting records in Democratic-run Fulton County, Georgia, and Republican-run Maricopa County, Arizona, as part of this probe. Trump tapped Kurt Olsen, a lawyer sanctioned by the Arizona Supreme Court for false statements in a previous lawsuit, to head the investigation. Becker stated that despite these efforts, "They’ve found nothing."
Trump's administration has previously contradicted his own claims. His appointees to the Department of Justice, cybersecurity agencies, and intelligence departments all affirmed the 2020 election was fair, legitimate, and free of major fraud or foreign interference. An intelligence assessment completed five years ago, in Trump’s last days in office, found no foreign tampering with vote totals or election equipment. Last year, Trump himself signed a federal document declaring "there has been no evidence of a foreign power altering the outcome or vote tabulation in any United States election."
State Apparatus in Service
Trump has used the levers of state power to rewrite the history of the 2020 election since his return to office last year. He appointed loyalists who echo his false claims and expects them to follow his lead. Jay Clayton, Trump’s nominee for national intelligence director, refused to directly state who won the 2020 election during his confirmation hearing this week, only acknowledging that Biden "had the most electoral votes" and "was declared the winner." Trump's former attorney general, William Barr, found no signs of significant fraud in 2020. Chris Krebs, Trump’s appointee to watch for cyberattacks on election infrastructure, declared the 2020 election secure, leading Trump to fire him and demand an investigation last year.
Primetime presidential addresses are typically reserved for major milestones. Trump last delivered one this year on the Iran war, a month after it started, claiming "the hard part is done," yet strikes have intensified this week. Last year, he delivered a politically charged speech blaming Democrats for the challenging economic climate, deflecting from systemic issues.
Liberal Response and Systemic Blind Spots
Democrats have warned that Trump aims to revive false claims to delegitimize the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner stated Trump would "stoke misleading claims about our elections in order to justify interfering in our midterms." New Jersey Democratic Sen. Andy Kim noted, "Americans are tired of endless war, skyrocketing gas prices, and a president that isn’t looking out for them." This statement highlights the material conditions faced by the working class, which are often obscured by political spectacle. Vice President JD Vance bristled when asked about the claims, stating the president would discuss "a number of the American people’s problems," without addressing the factual basis of the election claims. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican, stated his focus remains on the 2026 election, not past disputes. The focus on electoral contests within the existing framework leaves the underlying economic and social contradictions unaddressed.