How President Trump and Fox News Work With Each Other

Trump gives Fox News programming direction and Fox News gives the president policy direction.

U.S. President Donald Trump. (Photo by Oliver Contreras-Pool/Getty Images)
U.S. President Donald Trump. (Photo by Oliver Contreras-Pool/Getty Images)

A new article in Vanity Fair investigates the reciprocal relationship between Trump and Fox News. Trump’s reliance on Fox News for basic information and opinions is well-known at this point. Trump calls into Fox News often enough that he has become the network’s de facto chief in the aftermath of Roger Ailes’ departure, as programming decisions are made based on the feedback Trump gives. “When you worked at Fox, you knew that at any moment Roger Ailes was watching. Every day was like a job interview with Ailes. Now it’s the same way for Trump,” a Fox News contributor told Vanity Fair. And the influencing doesn’t just travel in one direction: “The highest compliment is, ‘I really learned something.’ Then you know he got a new policy idea,” a former Fox anchor said of Trump’s frequent calls.

The InsideHook Newsletter.

News, advice and insights for the most interesting person in the room.