Trump convention speech draws 2.5 million viewers on Fox News
Trump's Republican convention speech averaged 2.5 million viewers on Fox News, Nielsen data shows, as his claim of beating NFL ratings awaits game figures.
President Donald Trump's speech on the opening night of the Republican midterm convention drew about 2.5 million viewers on Fox News, according to Nielsen data, a figure that may undercut his assertion the event outperformed the NFL's season opener.
Fox News was the only major cable network to carry the roughly two-hour address in full. During the same window, MS NOW averaged 1 million viewers and CNN drew 441,000.
Trump used the convention to urge voters to treat November's midterm elections as a referendum on his presidency, telling them to "pretend I'm on the ballot." The two-day gathering opened what Republicans hope will be a Trump-focused campaign aimed at energizing the party's base and replicating the turnout that powered his 2016 and 2024 victories.
In a Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump said the gathering was "far bigger, better, and more important than anyone thought possible" and that "the overall numbers beat the NFL," without providing figures or methodology.
The convention coincided with the NFL season opener between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. Ratings for that game are not yet available, but the league averaged about 18 million viewers per game last season, and last year's opener drew close to 28 million.