For decades, Rupert Murdoch has been the man pulling strings in newsrooms on two continents. In 2025, the 94-year-old media mogul is facing a reported $10 billion lawsuit from Donald Trump over a Wall Street Journal article, while his family just settled a bitter succession fight worth $3.3 billion.
Net worth: $23.1 billion (Forbes, 2025) ·
Media properties: Fox News, The Times, The Wall Street Journal, and others (Bloomberg Billionaires Index) ·
Age: 94 (born 1931) (Bloomberg Billionaires Index) ·
Spouse: Jerry Hall (married 2016–2022) (The New York Times) ·
Children: 6, including Lachlan, James, and Elisabeth (The New York Times)
Quick snapshot
- Controls News Corp and Fox Corp through a family trust (The New York Times)
- Owns Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and The Times (Bloomberg Billionaires Index)
- Global reach in print, TV, and publishing (Bloomberg Billionaires Index)
- Donald Trump’s reported $10B lawsuit over a WSJ article (Wikipedia)
- Family trust succession dispute settled for $3.3B (The New York Times)
- Nevada probate ruling found bad faith by Rupert and Lachlan (The New York Times)
- Six children: Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan, James, Grace, Chloe (The New York Times)
- 2025 settlement left Lachlan in control of Fox and News Corp (The New York Times)
- Family trust holds voting shares; dispute began over irrevocable trust (The New York Times)
- Fox News is a leading conservative news network (CNN)
- Murdoch’s outlets shape political discourse in the U.S. and U.K. (The New York Times)
- Media empire spans newspapers, TV, and publishing (Bloomberg Billionaires Index)
Key biographical details about Rupert Murdoch:
| Full name | Keith Rupert Murdoch (Wikipedia) |
| Born | March 11, 1931, Melbourne, Australia (Wikipedia) |
| Net worth | $23.1 billion (Forbes, 2025) (The Economic Times) |
| Spouse | Jerry Hall (2016–2022); earlier marriages to Patricia Booker, Anna Torv, Wendi Deng (The New York Times) |
| Children | 6 (Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan, James, Grace, Chloe) (The New York Times) |
| Education | Oxford University (BA) (Wikipedia) |
| First major acquisition | News of the World (1969) (Wikipedia) |
What companies does Rupert Murdoch own?
News Corp and Fox Corporation
- Murdoch controls News Corp and Fox Corp through an irrevocable family trust established in 1999 (The New York Times).
- After the 2025 succession settlement, Lachlan Murdoch retains control of both companies (The New York Times).
- News Corp owns Dow Jones, which publishes The Wall Street Journal; Fox Corp runs Fox News, Fox Sports, and a chain of local TV stations (Bloomberg Billionaires Index).
The trust structure means that even though Murdoch stepped down as chairman in 2023, the voting power stays locked inside the family. For rivals and regulators, the question is whether Lachlan will maintain the same aggressive editorial stance as his father.
Key newspapers and TV stations
- In the United Kingdom, News Corp owns The Times, The Sunday Times, and formerly The Sun (acquired 1969) (Wikipedia).
- In Australia, the company controls more than 100 newspapers, including The Australian and the Daily Telegraph (Bloomberg Billionaires Index).
- HarperCollins, a major book publisher, is also part of News Corp (Wikipedia).
The implication: Murdoch’s portfolio spans print, television, and publishing on three continents, giving him a reach that few other media figures can match.
Is the Murdoch family still rich?
Yes, and by most measures they remain among the wealthiest families in the world. The numbers, however, depend on which valuation you use and when the snapshot was taken.
- Forbes-linked reporting in early 2025 put Rupert Murdoch’s net worth at about $23.1 billion (The Economic Times).
- The Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which updates daily, listed Murdoch and family at roughly $19.1 billion early in the year (Bloomberg).
- A separate 2025 report from Marca, citing Forbes, estimated his fortune at $24.4 billion (Marca).
The variations reflect the timing of market changes and the fact that a large chunk of Murdoch’s wealth is tied to publicly traded shares in News Corp and Fox Corp. When Disney acquired 21st Century Fox in 2019, proceeds distributed to shareholders caused a one-time $12 billion drop in Murdoch’s personal net worth calculation (Bloomberg Billionaires Index).
The family’s billions are largely illiquid—most of the value sits in media shares that the trust controls. That gives them power but also makes their wealth vulnerable to market swings and legal payouts.
What this means: The family’s wealth is tied to volatile media stocks, making their net worth fluctuate with market conditions.
Why is Rupert Murdoch so famous?
Media empire building
- Murdoch inherited a single Adelaide newspaper from his father in 1952 and built it into a global juggernaut (Wikipedia).
- He entered the UK market by acquiring News of the World in 1969 and later The Times and The Sunday Times in 1981 (The New York Times).
- In the U.S., he became a citizen in 1985, purchased 20th Century Fox, and launched Fox News in 1996 (Wikipedia).
Political influence
- Fox News has been the dominant conservative news outlet for two decades, shaping Republican politics and the Trump movement (CNN).
- In the UK, The Sun and The Times have historically influenced elections and referendums, including the Brexit vote (Wikipedia).
- Murdoch has met with every U.S. president from Richard Nixon to Joe Biden, and with numerous British prime ministers (Wikipedia).
Murdoch’s fame is not about celebrity—it’s about outcomes. His outlets don’t just report news; they create political realities that legislators and executives have to respond to.
The pattern: Murdoch’s fame stems from his ability to shape electoral outcomes and policy debates across two continents.
Why does Trump want to sue Rupert Murdoch?
Trump’s grievances with Fox News
- In July 2025, Donald Trump reportedly sued Rupert Murdoch and Dow Jones for $10 billion over a Wall Street Journal article about Jeffrey Epstein (Wikipedia).
- The suit also names Dow Jones, the Journal’s parent company, and alleges defamation (Wikipedia).
- Trump has long accused Fox News of “false reporting” after the network called Arizona for Joe Biden in the 2020 election, a moment that soured the relationship (Wikipedia).
I will sue Fox News for false reporting.
Donald Trump, Truth Social
Legal threats and defamation claims
- As of 2025, no lawsuit beyond the July filing had been confirmed, but Trump’s social media posts have repeatedly threatened legal action (Wikipedia).
- The case is complicated by the fact that Murdoch himself acknowledged in a 2023 deposition that some Fox News hosts had endorsed false election-rigging claims (Wikipedia).
The catch: Trump’s lawsuit puts Murdoch’s own words from a sworn deposition into the public record, potentially exposing Fox News to renewed scrutiny over its 2020 election coverage.
Why is Prince Harry suing Rupert Murdoch?
Prince Harry is suing News Group Newspapers (NGN), the publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World, over allegations of phone hacking and invasion of privacy. The lawsuit claims that NGN engaged in illegal information gathering for decades. (Wikipedia)
Industrial-scale phone hacking was carried out by NGN.
Prince Harry, statement
What happened in the Murdoch family succession?
The trust dispute
- In 1999, Rupert Murdoch created an irrevocable trust that gave each of his six children equal voting rights upon his death (The New York Times).
- Rupert and Lachlan attempted to amend the trust to consolidate control with Lachlan, leading to a legal battle with the other siblings (The New York Times).
- A Nevada probate commissioner ruled in December 2024 that the father-son pair had acted in bad faith (The New York Times).
The 2025 settlement
- In September 2025, the family announced a resolution. The deal was valued at approximately $3.3 billion (The New York Times).
- Prudence MacLeod, Elisabeth Murdoch, and James Murdoch each reportedly received about $1.1 billion (NPR).
- Lachlan Murdoch retained control of Fox Corp and News Corp, while the family trust remained intact (The New York Times).
- To fund the payouts, Murdoch companies sold shares valued at more than $1.4 billion (NPR).
The settlement buys peace for now, but it also reveals how fragile the family cohesion is. If Lachlan ever loses the support of his siblings, the trust structure could be challenged again.
The catch: The settlement preserves Lachlan’s control but leaves the family trust structure vulnerable if discontent resurfaces.
Timeline signal
Key events in Rupert Murdoch’s career and legal battles:
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1931 | Rupert Murdoch born in Melbourne | Wikipedia |
| 1952 | Inherits Adelaide newspaper The News from his father | Wikipedia |
| 1969 | Acquires News of the World, enters UK market | The New York Times |
| 1981 | Buys The Times and The Sunday Times | Wikipedia |
| 1985 | Becomes U.S. citizen, acquires 20th Century Fox | Wikipedia |
| 1996 | Launches Fox News Channel | Wikipedia |
| 2007 | Acquires Dow Jones (Wall Street Journal) | Wikipedia |
| 2011 | Phone-hacking scandal; closes News of the World | Wikipedia |
| 2013 | Splits News Corp into two entities (News Corp and Fox Corp) | Wikipedia |
| 2023 | Steps down as chairman of Fox Corp and News Corp | Wikipedia |
| 2024 | Nevada probate commissioner rules against Murdoch in trust dispute | The New York Times |
| 2025 | Trump files reported $10B lawsuit; family trust settled for $3.3B | Wikipedia / The New York Times |
What’s next
Two big unknowns hang over the Murdoch empire. First, the Trump lawsuit could force Fox News to turn over internal communications, much like the Dominion defamation case did. Second, no one knows whether Rupert’s death—whenever it comes—will reignite sibling struggles or if the September 2025 settlement truly ended them. For Lachlan, the immediate task is to keep the trust united and the legal threats contained. For the rest of the media world, the question is whether the Murdoch dynasty has entered its final act or merely a new one.
Confirmed facts
- Rupert Murdoch controls News Corp and Fox Corp through a family trust. (The New York Times)
- He is 94 years old, born in 1931. (Bloomberg Billionaires Index)
- He has six children: Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan, James, Grace, Chloe. (The New York Times)
What’s unclear
- Outcome of Prince Harry’s lawsuit against News Group Newspapers.
- Whether Lachlan Murdoch will retain support of siblings long-term.
- Exact net worth due to market fluctuations (estimates range from $19B to $24B).
en.wikipedia.org, ballotpedia.org, youtube.com, businessinsider.com, saul.com
For a deeper look at the legal battles and family wealth surrounding Rupert Murdochs media empire, this guide covers the key developments of 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Murdoch family’s religious background?
Rupert Murdoch was raised Anglican but has not been publicly active in religious institutions. His personal views are not widely detailed.
How did Rupert Murdoch start his media career?
He inherited the Adelaide newspaper The News from his father in 1952 and expanded into UK television and tabloids by the late 1960s (Wikipedia).
What is the relation between Fox News and the Republican Party?
Fox News is widely considered the leading conservative cable news network in the U.S. Its hosts and opinion programming have shaped Republican primary debates and voter turnout (CNN).
Did the Murdoch family ever own Disney?
No. The Murdoch family sold 21st Century Fox to Disney in 2019 for about $71 billion, but they never owned Disney.
Who will succeed Rupert Murdoch?
Lachlan Murdoch, Rupert’s eldest son, already controls Fox Corp and News Corp as of the 2025 settlement (The New York Times).
How many times has Rupert Murdoch been married?
Four times: Patricia Booker (1956–1967), Anna Torv (1967–1999), Wendi Deng (1999–2013), and Jerry Hall (2016–2022) (Wikipedia).
What is the value of the Murdoch family’s stake in News Corp?
Exact percentages fluctuate with market prices, but the family trust is the largest voting bloc in both News Corp and Fox Corp. Net worth estimates for Rupert alone range from $19 billion to $24 billion (Bloomberg Billionaires Index).
Victoria Hayes is Editor-in-Chief at Australia Pulse, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.