No network on television benefited more from Donald Trump’s first presidency than CNN. Although it remained a distant third in cable news behind Fox News and MSNBC, CNN’s openly negative coverage of the president kept the network relevant and viable.
That is not the case the second time around. Anew analysisfrom Fox News Digital shows that CNN has lost more than 40 percent of its total day and primetime audience from 2017 to 2025.
Here are CNN’s ratings at three points in time: when Trump descended the escalator in 2015, during the first year of his presidency in 2017, and during the first year of his second term in 2025.
2015: 711,0002017: 1 million2025: 573,000
2015: 489,0002017: 775,0002025: 432,000
The changes CNN has undergone between 2015 and 2025 are significant.
The network has had three different presidents during that span. Under Jeff Zucker, CNN played the role of MSNBC Lite. The network was somewhat more news-oriented under Chris Licht. The channel now appears mostly directionless under Mark Thompson’s leadership.
Though often bombastic, CNN once had star power in its lineup, including Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon. Today, the most recognizable face at the network may be Scott Jennings, its resident conservative foil.
Perhaps most significantly, CNN had the Russia Hoax during Trump’s first term. The legacy media has failed to generate an equivalent narrative this time around, despite its best efforts.
A man waves a Black Lives Matter flag atop the CNN logo during a protest in response to the police killing of George Floyd outside the CNN Center on May 29, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
Source: The Latest & Most Breaking News With OutKick
