The idea of starting a Trump TV network was first suggested during the Republican presidential primary by Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, according to Bloomberg.
Kushner brought up the possibility of launching the network as a “threat” to Roger Ailes, who was then the chairman and CEO of Fox News, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. At the time, the Trump campaign was “unhappy with the tenor of Fox News’s coverage,” the report says.
{mosads}Kushner is married to Trump’s elder daughter, Ivanka, and is also the publisher of the New York Observer. Ailes resigned from Fox News in July amid allegations of sexual harassment which included a lawsuit filed against him by former network host Gretchen Carlson.
While Fox News and the Trump campaign eventually mended fences, the GOP nominee became “enamored” with the idea of launching a network, Bloomberg reported, “after five media companies expressed interest.”
Trump is trailing Democrat Hillary Clinton in national polls by 5.4 points in the RealClearPolitics average with 12 days to go until the election and appears to have a very narrow path to winning the White House.
Speculation is mounting that Trump could start a Trump TV venture if he loses on Nov. 8. Fueling the talk, the Trump campaign has launched a nightly Facebook Live broadcast that is structured like a television show.
Launching a Trump network to air on large cable systems in an effort to compete with Fox News, CNN and MSNBC would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, according to media experts. An online version of the network, however, would cost considerably less.
Trump, an avid watcher of cable news, on Tuesday denied he has an interest in a TV venture.
“I have no interest in Trump TV,” Trump told Cincinnati radio station WLW. “I hear it all over the place. You know, I have a tremendous fan base.
“We have the most incredible people. But I just don’t have any interest in that. I have one interest, that’s on November 8.”
– This story was updated at 11:28 a.m.