Donald Trump Campaign Denies Roger Ailes Is Helping With Debate Prep

A spokesperson for Donald Trump’s campaign on Tuesday denied media reports that ousted Fox News boss Roger Ailes will be helping the Republican candidate and his preparations for the upcoming debate.

“This is not accurate. He is not advising Mr. Trump or helping with debate prep. They are longtime friends but he has no formal or informal role in the campaign,” Trump campaign spokesperson Hope Hicks said in a statement.

On Tuesday, the New York Times was among several outlets to report that Ailes would be advising the candidate as he prepares for his first debate with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on September 26. The Times cited four unnamed people briefed on the matter.

Also Read: 12 Roger Ailes Accusers and Their Allegations Against Former Fox News Boss (Photos)

Last week, Trump said he has only spoken with Ailes “on occasion” since the former Fox News chief’s departure from the network due to sexual harassment allegations and shot down rumors that Ailes would help his campaign, saying, “No, he’s not.”

Netflix host Chelsea Handler recently joked to TheWrap that she wanted Ailes to join the Trump campaign.

“This is the only campaign in politics where they would take someone coming off of a sexual harassment lawsuit who had to step down and hire them for a campaign. Like, that’s the strategy. Let’s get somebody who just had to step down from a 20-year job,” Handler said.

Also Read: Donald Trump Only Speaks With Roger Ailes 'On Occasion Now'

Before starting Fox News, Ailes was involved in campaigns for Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush, among others. He moved from advising political campaigns to building television networks until everything fell apart last month.

“He’s a man who has done an amazing job building Fox, an amazing job, but I think he’s given credit for that.” Trump said.

The Evolution of Roger Ailes, From 'The Mike Douglas Show' to Fox News Innovator (Photos)

The television executive has evolved from producing a talk-variety show to running one of the biggest satellite news television channel in the U.S.
Fox News
Born and raised in Ohio, Roger Ailes attended Ohio University as a young man, majoring in radio and television. During his time there, he served as station manager for the university's WOUB radio for two years.
Ohio University
Ailes worked his way up to executive producer on the syndicated daytime talk show "The Mike Douglas Show," which began as a local program in Cleveland before expanding nationwide.
Westinghouse Broadcasting Company
In 1968, Ailes got an Emmy nod when "The Mike Douglas Show" was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Daytime Programming, ultimately losing to NBC's "Today" show.
After first meeting Richard Nixon on the set of "The Mike Douglas Show," Ailes was hired by the then-presidential candidate to be his media advisor during the campaign, which marked his first professional foray into politics.
Ailes continued consulting on presidential campaigns, serving as media consultant for three successful Republicans: Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
Ailes produced the famous "revolving door" ad for Bush, which painted Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis as soft on crime. The piece was widely regarded as the most influential ad of the political cycle.
In 1988, Ailes co-authored a self-help book with Jon Kraushar. "You Are the Message" shared Ailes' tips for effective communication and public performances.
Simon and Schuster
In 1992, Ailes served as executive producer on a syndicated late-night talk show hosted by right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh, which ran for four years before coming to an end in 1996.
Ailes Productions
Ailes was named president of CNBC in 1993, where he launched the new cable network America's Talking, which was shut down and replaced with future Fox News competitor MSNBC.
America's Talking
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch hired Ailes to serve as founding CEO and Chariman of the Fox News Channel in 1996, which soon grew to become the most popular cable news network in the country.
Getty Images
In 2016, Ailes was accused of sexual harassment by ousted Fox News host Gretchen Carlson. In July, Carlson filed a lawsuit against Ailes, claiming years of inappropriate behavior and sexual advances.
Getty Images
On July 20, 2016, Ailes was forced to resign from Fox News amid the growing outcry over the sexual harassment allegations.
Getty Images
Ailes died on May 18, 2017 at age 77.