President Donald Trump seems to think Fox News works for him.

Given the cozy relationship the president and the network have enjoyed since even before he was elected, it's not hard to understand why he might.

Still, even for Trump, this is too much. It’s wrong, it’s misleading and it’s … typical, sadly.

During an extended Twitter rant Wednesday the president tweeted that Fox News "isn't working for us anymore." He was angry about a Sandra Smith interview with Xochitl Hinojosa, the communications director for the Democratic National Committee, on "America's Newsroom." Hinojosa talked about the upcoming Democratic debate and other issues.

Cue the sad music. It seems one of the coziest relationships in media may be on the rocks.

Trump not only criticized the network, he suggested that supporters should look elsewhere for their news.

They are free to look wherever they want, of course. But when it comes to who Fox News, or any other media outlet, works for, he's dead wrong. Media don't work for him. They work for everyone.

If this weren't Trump, such criticism would be surprising. What else can the network do to curry his favor?

Getting on Trump's good side

Sean Hannity, who reportedly talks to the president almost nightly and appeared at one of his political rallies before the election, all but sends him a nightly love letter on the highest-rated show on cable news.

"Fox & Friends" offers a warm embrace every morning; Trump appears on the show somewhat frequently. On Tuesday, its hosts defended Trump's proposal to host next year's G7 summit at one of his resorts.

Jeanine Pirro and Tucker Carlson fall all over themselves to cozy up to Trump in-between. Pirro once said, "If he doesn't get credit for being one of the smartest, most clever and successful negotiator presidents of all time," then the media are to blame. Carlson also regularly goes to bat for Trump, and Trump often parrots Carlson's sentiments, such as an attack on congresswomen in July.

It's not state-run TV, as some suggest — there is a news division that is considerably more objective (and often a target of Trump's ire; let's just say Attorney General William Barr won't be inviting Shep Smith to his big Christmas bash at Trump's property).

But in its highest-rated opinion shows — let’s face it, what the network is known for — it's nothing but a big smoochy White House love-in.

(Hannity's show is the No. 1 show on all of basic cable. Carlson's is No. 2. Laura Ingraham's show is No. 3. No straight news show comes close to that kind of dominance.)

Still, to suggest that the network owes Trump something is something that would be nearly inconceivable — before the 2016 election.

No more, and that's scary.

You're the boss

Trump supporters can cry "fake news" all they wantwhen confronted with facts they don't like, but this isn't how it works. The media, at least in the United States, don't work for the president. Or the government. Or any elected official or titan of industry or any other powerful person.

You know who legitimate media work for in reality?

You.

You, the person reading this. Even if you disagree with it. You, the person not reading this. You, the person who listens to NPR or reads the New York Times or frequents any other legitimate news outlet. And yes, you, the person who does none of those things.

Media take their lumps for clickbait and sensationalizing stories, and sometimes those lumps are deserved. Reporters make mistakes. Legitimate outlets own up to them and correct them.

We aim only to be fair, not perfect.

And being fair is going to make some people mad. That whole afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted bit isn't just a cliché.

To their credit, Fox News political analyst Brit Hume — not exactly Trump's toughest critic — tweeted, "Fox News isn’t supposed to work for you" in response to Trump's tweet, and contributor Guy Benson tweeted, "We don't work for you."

That's a start. It would be nice to see the rest of the network, starting with its top executives, respond similarly.

Don't hold your breath. Both sides have too much invested in this relationship for the spat to last forever.

Bill Goodykoontz is the media critic at the Arizona Republic, where this column originally appeared. Follow him on Twitter: @goodyk.