Fox News Hosts Rally Around Trump, After Months of Keeping Some Distance

Sean Hannity, a reliable Trump ally who interviewed the former president on his program earlier this week, used his Thursday broadcast to read aloud, word for word, a substantial part of Mr. Trump’s statement calling the indictment “political persecution and election interference at the highest level” and a “witch hunt.”

“He’s right,” Mr. Hannity said, before claiming that Mr. Bragg “has literally thrown the rule of law to the wind in exchange for a cheap act of petty political vengeance.”

Days ago, Laura Ingraham, whose show directly follows “Hannity,” expressed skepticism about a Trump loyalist’s praise for the former president and featured a guest who criticized Mr. Trump for “dwelling on grievance.” On Thursday, she was unequivocal in portraying Mr. Trump as a victim of what she called “political vengeance.”

Jesse Watters, co-host of “The Five,” was live on air Thursday afternoon when a colleague interrupted to deliver breaking news of the indictment. Mr. Watters, whose initial reaction was an audible gasp, alluded to the potential for unrest from supporters in response.

“There’s going to be a major rally-around-the-flag feeling,” he told viewers. “I don’t like it. The country is not going to stand for it.”

Mr. Trump, who had recently insulted Mr. Murdoch and labeled Fox as “fake news,” appeared pleased by the revival of his support on the network. On his account on Truth Social, the right-wing social media site he founded, Mr. Trump reposted several Fox News clips in the early hours of Friday, including one of Mr. Watters calling the indictment a “calculated move.”

“Do you think Donald Trump would be indicted if he wasn’t running?” Mr. Watters asks in the clip. “Democrats are branding Trump as a criminal, along with the 74 million people who voted for him.”

Michael M. Grynbaum contributed reporting.