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Jeff Zucker. | AP Photo/Matt Sayles Joe Scarborough: Donald Trump calls Jeff Zucker his 'personal booker'

CNN President Jeff Zucker personally reaches out to Donald Trump when he wants the Republican nominee to appear on the network, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough says.

In the latest edition fo POLITICO's "Off Message" podcast with our colleague Glenn Thrush, Scarborough said Trump and Zucker are "very close" and that "Zucker personally calls Trump... and books Trump."

"And Trumps laughs and calls Zucker "my personal booker," because Zucker will call Trump." He hasn't said that publicly.But he's said it. I've said it publicly now. But, you know, Trump will laugh every time Zucker calls because Zucker will call to personally book him."

Zucker and Trump have a history together. Trump's reality show "The Apprentice" premiered on NBC in 2004, when Zucker was president of NBC's television group.

Zucker has defended his network's coverage of Trump's candidacy in the face of criticism that it gives Trump (or his plane, or empty podium) too much free airtime. Zucker has said the network has held Trump's "feet to the fire," and the network has won praise for tough interviews and reporting from the likes of anchor Jake Tapper and chief political correspondent Dana Bash.

"The critics of Donald Trump are looking for people to blame for his rise," Zucker told the Guardian in April.

CNN declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hadas Gold is a reporter at Politico.