President Trump called Fox News' CEO in late summer and "let loose" about negative coverage

The New York Times

In a lengthy conversation with Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott, "Mr. Trump complained that Fox News was not covering him fairly, according to three people with knowledge of the call," reports The New York Times. "Ms. Scott, who has led the cable network since last year, responded by urging Mr. Trump to sit for an interview with Bret Baier, the channel’s chief political anchor, the people said." Trump has continued to express dissatisfaction with Fox News, calling it "HOPELESS & CLUELESS!" on Twitter in late August. As The Times' Michael M. Grynbaum and Maggie Haberman point out, "that tensions exist at all between Mr. Trump and the home of Sean Hannity and Fox & Friends has prompted incredulity inside the network and out. Fox News’s star commentators — including Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham and Jeanine Pirro — are among the president’s most vociferous media defenders, providing a punditry firewall that Mr. Trump arguably needs more than ever as an impeachment inquiry looms and the 2020 campaign intensifies. But the president has rarely been satisfied with the adulation he receives from the network’s prime-time and morning opinion shows. Instead, he often fixates on any hint of criticism, deeming the network ungrateful for the high ratings that he attributes to himself." ALSO: Fox News president Jay Wallace says "our best news stars" will fill Shepard Smith's timeslot, keeping it a "solid news hour."