Wednesday’s highly anticipated public impeachment hearing amounted to a ratings flop, with only 13 million viewers tuning in, according to reports.
The hearing, which featured Bill Taylor, acting U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, and George Kent, a senior State Department official, was teased as a “bombshell, given House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff’s (D-CA) allocating Democrats more time to dominate and minimize GOP voices in the first hour. Nonetheless, Democrats failed to live up to the hype, as reflected in viewership.
According to Axios, Wednesday’s lackluster impeachment hearing drew just 13 million viewers. The number pales in comparison to those who viewed former FBI Director James Comey’s June 2017 testimony and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s September 2018 hearing, which saw 19.5 million viewers and 20 million viewers, respectively.
Of the cable news networks, Fox News led the pack with 2.9 million viewers between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST, followed by MSNBC with 2.7 million, per Axios. CNN fell over one million viewers behind Fox News, attracting 1.8 million viewers. ABC edged out CBS, but both drew around two million viewers, followed by NBC with 1.7 viewers.
Even the NYT Admits it: Trump’s Economy ‘Surged’ in Q3, Smashed Growth Expectations
Cornyn torches Democratic field, says party now ‘ruled by socialists’
Developing: Trump Announces New ‘Trump Class’ Battleships, Bigger Than Any Previous Battleships in US History
House GOP tensions erupt after moderate Republicans’ Obamacare ‘betrayal’
Repeat offender allegedly kills Ohio man just days after nonprofit pays his bail
Oregon Cattle Rancher Accuses Amazon Data Center of Poisoning Local Water Supply
Walz under fire as Minnesota mayors sound alarm on ‘financial disaster’ ahead and more top headlines
Texas Man Fatally Shoots Two People Who Allegedly Followed and Attacked Him
Trump administration installing 900-mile wall of buoys in Rio Grande
Trump admin conducts another deadly attack on ‘low-profile vessel’ perpetrating ‘narco-trafficking operations’
Media personalities who lost their jobs over news bias in 2025
White House says no to Catholic bishops’ call for Christmas pause in immigration enforcement
FCC announces ban on new Chinese-made drones over national security concerns
20% of NYC mayor-elect Mamdani transition appointees have anti-Zionist ties: ADL
ICE arrests 100+ illegal alien truckers in major sweep after deadly crashes across multiple states
The numbers, however, do not reflect those who watched the debate on alternative platforms, as Axios noted.
The impeachment hearing left many Democrats feeling, privately, deflated. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) masterfully made a mockery of Schiff’s “star witness” by demonstrating Taylor’s stunning lack of knowledge:
The hearing forced impeachment-driven Democrats and establishment media outlets to tweak the narrative to focus on what they now claim is President Trump’s “attempted” crimes – bribery and extortion – despite a lack of basis for either accusation.
This exchange between Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and Wednesday’s witnesses laid out the new narrative:
“So ambassadors, is attempted murder a crime?” he asked, repeating his question. “Is attempted murder a crime?”
“Attempted murder is a crime,” Taylor said.
“Is attempted robbery a crime?” he asked.
“Neither of us is a lawyer,” Taylor began before Castro interrupted.
“I think anyone in this room could answer that question,” he said.
“I’ll go out on a limb and say yes it is,” Taylor said.
“Is attempted extortion and bribery a crime?” Castro asked, trying to draw a parallel.
“I don’t know sir,” Taylor said.
Even the NYT Admits it: Trump’s Economy ‘Surged’ in Q3, Smashed Growth Expectations
Cornyn torches Democratic field, says party now ‘ruled by socialists’
Developing: Trump Announces New ‘Trump Class’ Battleships, Bigger Than Any Previous Battleships in US History
House GOP tensions erupt after moderate Republicans’ Obamacare ‘betrayal’
Repeat offender allegedly kills Ohio man just days after nonprofit pays his bail
Oregon Cattle Rancher Accuses Amazon Data Center of Poisoning Local Water Supply
Walz under fire as Minnesota mayors sound alarm on ‘financial disaster’ ahead and more top headlines
Texas Man Fatally Shoots Two People Who Allegedly Followed and Attacked Him
Trump administration installing 900-mile wall of buoys in Rio Grande
Trump admin conducts another deadly attack on ‘low-profile vessel’ perpetrating ‘narco-trafficking operations’
Media personalities who lost their jobs over news bias in 2025
White House says no to Catholic bishops’ call for Christmas pause in immigration enforcement
FCC announces ban on new Chinese-made drones over national security concerns
20% of NYC mayor-elect Mamdani transition appointees have anti-Zionist ties: ADL
ICE arrests 100+ illegal alien truckers in major sweep after deadly crashes across multiple states
The second round of public impeachment hearings, featuring former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, will air Friday at 9:00 a.m. EST.
Story cited here.
