There had been speculation that Ailes could take some sort of advisory role with Trump’s campaign after he stepped down from his post, and Trump himself praised Ailes and talked about the rumors in an appearance on “Meet the Press” the Sunday after he accepted the Republican nomination.
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The Trump campaign denied a New York Times report that Ailes was advising Trump on the debates, even as it acknowledged that the two men were “longtime friends”.
Trump will first face off against Clinton at the Long Island-based Hofstra University on September 26, according to the schedule put out by the Commission on Presidential Debates.
But given that he is facing a litany of sexual harassment allegations, Ailes’ associations with Trump could also become a liability among female voters – a demographic with which Trump is already struggling.
A message left at Ailes’ Westchester County home was not returned.
NBC News, however, reported later Tuesday that Ailes’ has no role in the campaign. A spokeswoman for Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“He is not advising Mr. Trump or helping with debate prep”.
In less than a month the list of women Ailes allegedly sexually harassed has grown into the double digits, according to various media outlets.
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I know, I know, it’s Donald Trump. Prior to launching Fox News, Ailes had worked extensively as a consultant on political campaigns, including the presidential campaigns of Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush. He at times received apparently favorable coverage but had a public spat with Fox anchor Megyn Kelly.
