Is Roger Ailes going to join the Trump campaign?

Roger Ailes.

Fox News founder and CEO Roger Ailes was confirmed to be leaving the network on Thursday by parent company 21st Century Fox, although he may soon have another gig lined up. Ailes has reportedly been on multiple phone calls this week with Donald Trump, according to two of Trump's aides who spoke with CNNMoney.

Apparently Fox staffers were immediately suspicious that Ailes will now seek to advise Trump in a formal capacity. Ailes and Trump have been close for many years, although it has been a tense relationship over the 2016 election season as Ailes stood behind host Megyn Kelly in the face of Trump's accusations she had treated him unfairly.

If Ailes indeed joins forces with Trump, it would be a return to his roots. Before becoming CEO of Fox News, Ailes was a right-wing political strategist, helping George H.W. Bush to victory in the Republican primaries.

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A spokeswoman for Trump's campaign declined to comment on Ailes' departure, and a spokesperson for Ailes was not immediately reached by CNN.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.