WASHINGTON — In a Feb. 18 interview on Sirius XM Radio, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump said that CNN and MSNBC’s Morning Joe have treated him fairly, but that Fox News Channel continues to give him the “worst treatment.”
Trump famously sat out a Fox News debate after a run-in with the network over The Kelly File host Megyn Kelly, whose tough questions as moderator of an earlier debate rankled the candidate, who said they were unfair. Fox stood by Kelly.
But in the Sirius XM interview, Trump also said that Fox News chairman Roger Ailes continued to be a friend, but “doesn’t” do him any favors.
“Roger Ailes and I like each other, but he doesn’t do anything for me,” Trump said. “That I can tell you. He certainly doesn’t do anything. In one way, he’s very professional, he won’t lift his finger to help me. Roger Ailes will not lift his finger to help me. Which is fine, I mean he’s a professional and maybe that’s the way it’s supposed to be, but I get treated very badly by Fox.”
Trump took another shot at Kelly before repeating he thought Fox gave him the worst treatment.
But asked if he thought Fox was supporting his challenger, Trump did not hesitate: “They’re in love with [Sen. Marco] Rubio [R-Fla.]. Why, I have no idea, but they are in love with Rubio.”
Rubio has been getting more press attention generally as he has moved up to challenge Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for second-place, though Cruz was the leader in at least one poll this week.
