Fred Prouser FSP/JJ/Reuters
Roger Ailes is no longer advising Donald Trump in the presidential race, according to both New York magazine reporter Gabriel Sherman and Vanity Fair reporter Sarah Ellison. Following his departure from Fox News, amid allegations of serial sexual harassment, the former news mogul was reported to have begun advising his long-time friend Trump on his Republican quest for the White House—specifically focusing on his messaging for the three debate events. However, according to Sherman, “Ailes’s camp said Ailes learned that Trump couldn’t focus—surprise, surprise—and that advising him was a waste of time. These debate prep sessions weren’t going anywhere.” Team Trump saw it differently, as Ellison reported: “Even for the second debate, Ailes kept going off on tangents and talking about his war stories while he was supposed to be prepping Trump.” The news was revealed Wednesday afternoon during the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit in San Francisco.