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Rupert Murdoch, whose media empire includes Fox News and the New York Post, is predicting a landslide Biden victory over Trump

Murdoch Trump
US President Donald Trump (L) is embraced by Rupert Murdoch, Executive Chairman of News Corp, during a dinner to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea during WWII onboard the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum May 4, 2017 in New York BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
  • Media mogul Rupert Murdoch has told people close to him that he believes Democratic candidate Joe Biden will defeat President Trump in the presidential election, reported The New York Times.

  • People close to Murdoch told The Daily Beast last week that Fox News owner Murdoch believes the president has botched the response to the coronavirus crisis.

  • Murdoch publications continue to consistently back Trump, with tabloid The New York Post last week publishing a controversial story that sought to damage Biden's candidacy.

  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Related: Polls suggest Trump's chances of defeating Biden are declining

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch, owner of the Fox News network and the New York Post, has told people that he thinks Democratic nominee Joe Biden will defeat President Donald Trump in the presidential election, according to reports.

The New York Times on Saturday reported that a source familiar with the matter had told them Murdoch believes a Biden victory is most likely, and has even said that the Democrat could triumph over Trump in a landslide.

It confirms a report by The Daily Beast last week, with several sources telling that publication that Murdoch has been projecting an emphatic victory for Biden. According to the report, Murdoch believes Trump has refused to listen to the best advice on dealing with the coronavirus crisis.

Business Insider has attempted to reach Murdoch for comment on the report. Murdoch declined to comment on the Times' report.

And in an email to the Beast last week wrote "no comment except I've never called Trump an idiot," referring to a 2018 report claiming that he had called Trump an "idiot" after a phone call with the president about migration.

Though Murdoch may believe that it's game over for Trump, Fox News hosts continue to be the president's staunchest media allies. Murdoch's tabloid, The New York Post, is embroiled in controversy over a disputed article last week which, reported that unverified emails found on an abandoned laptop contain evidence of dubious business dealing by Biden's son, Hunter, in Ukraine.

Social media companies have moved to limit the article's spread, with US intelligence reportedly investigating whether the emails are part of a Russian disinformation campaign.

In the initial months of his presidential candidacy, Trump faced tough questions from Fox News hosts and was described as an embarrassment by Murdoch in a tweet.

But as his campaign gathered strength, the network abruptly changed its stance and became his ardent backer, with network hosts such as Sean Hannity serving as informal advisers and sounding boards for the president.

Trump has repeatedly praised the Murdoch family. In January he described Murdoch as "the greatest" over his deal-making acumen,

But according to the Beast, Rupert Murdoch is beginning to tire of the president. Trump has phoned the media tycoon to complain about what he sees as negative coverage about his administration on Fox News.

A rift has opened in the Murdoch family over the editorial direction of the publications. Murdoch's son James Murdoch last week told the Times that he had decided to quit his board position for News Corp, the print media wing of his father's business empire, out of concern that some publications are "legitimizing disinformation."

Read the original article on Business Insider