Lachlan Murdoch Is Set to Take Over Fox and Is the Least Moderate of His Siblings

After years of fairly messy drama that might have made even the cast of Succession blush, the Murdochs appear to have come to a resolution on the question of who will take over News Corp. Lachlan, who was long his father's chosen successor, will be taking control, and his siblings will be selling their shares in the company.

Following the news that Lachlan Murdoch would now be in charge of News Corp., many naturally wondered what his political views might be. Here's what we know.

One of the key questions in the succession battle that played out between the Murdoch siblings was a question about the political direction of Fox News and The Wall Street Journal, which are the two core properties that News Corp. controls in the U.S. Lachlan has long been viewed as the most conservative of his siblings, and while none of them are that far to the left, Lachlan is the most like his father, and was therefore his father's chosen successor.

The other siblings, including James, who is more moderate and was seen as the other potential candidate to lead the company, are apparently planning to sell their shares, which will add to their sizable net worth but will also prevent them from exercising any influence over the family business.

James left the company in 2019, and according to the BBC, it was because of his frustration over editorial decisions being made internally.

Paddy Manning, a biographer of the family, has said that Lachlan is not a huge fan of the president but that he does share a "philosophical bent" with Tucker Carlson, a far-right influencer who used to host a primetime show on Fox News.

"Lachlan sees his role as determining strategy for the business, and keeping an eye on the bottom line," Paddy told the BBC, explaining that he doesn't seem himself as a kingmaker in the same way his father did.

Although Lachlan is unlikely to run News Corp. exactly the way his father did, he is the most similar to Rupert, which means that the company is going to change the least with him at the helm.

His political views might not be totally in line with his father's, and he's rarely discussed them in public, but the general consensus seems to be that Lachlan is the most interested in preserving what his father's brands have become.

While they have been controversial throughout their existence, News Corp. has undeniably had tremendous success. Fox News is often the most-watched cable news network, and because it sometimes has the president's attention, it has also been hugely influential in shaping actual policy.

There's a reason that a number of former Fox personalities now work in the White House. Lachlan Murdoch probably can't take direct credit for that, but it seems like Fox will continue to be key to Republican policy for years to come under his watch.