- President Donald Trump called Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott to complain that the network had not been covering his administration fairly, reported The New York Times.
- This call took place in late summer, The Times reported, when the president had already for months complained of what he perceived the network’s increased scrutiny of his administration.
- Critics have long condemned Fox News for producing overwhelmingly positive reports on Trump, but the president believes the network’s support is waning.
- A rift has opened between Fox’s news desk and opinion hosts in recent months over whether the network should be more impartial in its coverage of the Trump administration.
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President Donald Trump phoned Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott to complain that the network isn’t covering his administration fairly, The New York Times reported Sunday.
The network has long aired so much positive content about Trump, and so much negative content about his critics, that critics have long accused the network of airing what is little better than propaganda for the president.
Network hosts are among the president’s staunchest media allies, with hosts Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson acting as informal advisers and policy sounding boards for the president.
But for the president, even this level of support doesn’t appear to be enough.
According to The Times, Trump called Scott in the late summer and complained that it wasn't covering him fairly. It's not clear what exactly Trump said on the call.
Around this time Trump had already raged against the network for several months. This included a Twitter rant against a series of Fox News-commissioned polls that showed support waning for Trump on key issues.
In a bid to placate trump, Scott proposed an interview between the president and Fox News chief political correspondent Scot Baier, The Times reported. This has yet to take place.
A rift has opened between Fox's news desk and opinion hosts in recent months over whether the network should be more impartial in its coverage of the Trump administration.
Trump - who is famously obsessed with how his presidency plays out on TV - appears convinced that the network's coverage of him is becoming more critical.
He has lashed out at the network for hosting his political opponents, at hosts and anchors who have criticized his work, and at polls that show decreasing support for his administration.
Read more: The growing divide between Fox News' pro-Trump opinion hosts and news anchors is on full display
On Sunday Trump attacked veteran Fox News host Chris Wallace after he expressed support for a whistleblower who raised concerns about Trump's recent call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"Somebody please explain to Chris Wallace of Fox, who will never be his father (and my friend), Mike Wallace, that the Phone Conversation I had with the President of Ukraine was a congenial & good one," tweeted Trump.