The allegations against Roger Ailes finally reached a point of no return for the former Fox News head this week. Battle lines were being drawn when word of Gretchen Carlson’s sexual harassment lawsuit first broke, with many at Fox News taking sides publicly and others coming forward to accuse Ailes of misconduct over the years. It was apparently too much for Rupert Murdoch and others, leading to Ailes resignation at the network.
Even with that, Ailes has a major defender in Donald Trump and the presidential candidate is being vocal about it on Sunday’s Meet The Press:
“I can tell you that some of the women that are complaining, I know how much he’s helped them. And even recently,” the Republican presidential nominee told Meet the Press host Chuck Todd. “And when they write books that are fairly recently released, and they say wonderful things about him. And now all of a sudden they’re saying these horrible things about him.”
Trump continued, “It’s very sad. Because he’s a very good person. I’ve always found him to be just a very, very good person. And by the way, a very, very talented person. Look what he’s done. So I feel very badly.”
Trump also reiterated his support in an interview with Bloomberg that will be aired during Sunday’s The Circus on Showtime:
I mean, what he’s done on television, is in the history of television, he’s gotta be placed in the top three, or four or five. And that includes the founding of the major networks. So, it’s too bad. I’m sure it was friendly. I know Rupert [Murdoch]. He’s a great guy.
Trump also addressed rumors that Ailes would soon be running his campaign for president on Meet The Press, noting that his campaign is “doing pretty well” and refusing to confirm that the two had a conversation during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
The rumors of Trump and Ailes would be the cap on a tumultuous primary between the candidate and Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly. Whether the entire feud was an act of political theatre is still up in the air, but it’s clear that Ailes has had his hands in the Trump campaign in some form or another since it started. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Ailes make the jump now that his schedule has cleared.
(Via Variety / The Hollywood Reporter)