Trump On Ailes Departure From Fox News: "So Sad"

Donald Trump on Meet The Press Sunday

Donald Trump says Roger Ailes' forced exit from Fox News is "so sad."

And in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," he didn't deny that Ailes is advising him.

"A lot of people are thinking he's going to run my campaign," Trump said slyly, acknowledging the widespread speculation in TV and political circles.

Is he going to? Trump didn't say. "My campaign's doing pretty well" was his only comment.

According to CNN, Trump defended Ailes amid widening allegations of sexual harassment and other inappropriate workplace behavior.

In the wake of a harassment lawsuit filed by ex-anchor Gretchen Carlson, numerous other women have come forward to speak with investigators. The heads of Fox News' parent company, 21st Century Fox, determined that Ailes must step down from the channel he created 20 years ago. Ailes resigned under pressure on Thursday, effective immediately.

Speaking with NBC's Chuck Todd, Trump repeated one of the defenses put forth by Ailes' side: "Some of the women that are complaining, I know how much he's helped them. And even recently. And when they write books that are fairly recently released, and they say wonderful things about him."

In fact, Carlson is the only accuser who recently wrote a book. It included praise for Ailes. She was still employed by Fox News at the time, and her representatives have said it was necessary to include the positive language in the book.


"Now," Trump told Todd, "all of a sudden, they're saying these horrible things about him. It's very sad. Because he's a very good person. I've always found him to be just a very, very good person."

Given Ailes' past work as a Republican political consultant, and given the fact that he and Trump have known each other for decades, there was immediate speculation that the two men might start working together.