Donald Trump has taken a rare swipe at Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News, complaining about the channel’s weekend coverage.

In a series of tweets attacking some of his favourite targets in the news media, including The New York Times, CNN and NBC, the US president also turned his ire on Fox News, the one news organisation he has repeatedly singled out for praise.

Mr Trump wrote: “Watching @FoxNews weekend anchors is worse than watching low ratings Fake News @CNN, or [NBC chief news presenter] Lyin’ Brian Williams.”

He also claimed Fox News was employing more Democrats, rather than Republicans, and complained it was using The New York Times as a source of information.

He said “@FoxNews, who failed in getting the very BORING Dem debates, is now loading up with Democrats & even using Fake unsourced @nytimes as … a “source” of information.”

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“@FoxNews is changing fast, but they forgot the people who got them there!” he added.

It is unclear exactly what prompted Mr Trump’s outburst, but he followed the series of tweets on Sunday night, with more aimed at former CNN commentator Donna Brazile, who Fox has hired.

It also comes after Fox News broadcast a live segment over the weekend in which US football fans in France were heard chanting “F*** Trump”, repeatedly while celebrating America’s women’s football team’s world cup victory.

Last month Mr Trump also lashed out at Fox News after the network broadcast the result of the political polls which put Mr Trump behind Democrat candidates as favourite for president.

The polls by Fox showed Mr Trump trailing 10 percentage points behind Democratic hopeful Joe Biden when voters were asked who they would vote for if the election was now.

Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg were all also ahead of Mr Trump.