Fox News host Tucker Carlson told The Hill that he would be willing to talk to President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE "every single day" as part of his job, amid a controversy over a segment on Carlson's show that Trump shared.

Carlson told The Hill that he does "not regularly at all" talk to Trump off camera, adding he'd be willing to talk to "anybody making important decisions" because that's his job.

"I don't visit the White House," he said by phone. "I want to be clear: I'd be happy to talk to Trump every single day. I would be happy to talk [House Minority Leader] Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Trump signs largely symbolic pre-existing conditions order amid lawsuit MORE (D-Calif.). I'd be happy to talk to anybody making important decisions. Why wouldn't I be? That's my job."

The president on Thursday morning tweeted that he requested that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoPutin nominated for Nobel Peace Prize The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Pompeo accused of stumping for Trump ahead of election MORE look into "land farm seizures" and the "large scale killing of farmers" in South Africa after Carlson aired a segment titled "Inside South Africa's racist land seizures" on the topic Wednesday night.

South Africa disputed the report and summoned a U.S. diplomatic official to the ministry of foreign affairs on Thursday after Trump's tweet, according to Reuters.

"I assume he was just watching or someone sent him a clip," Carlson told The Hill. "But either way, I'm really grateful that he was, because it's totally wrong what's happening there."

The segment condemned the South African government as racist for stripping white farm owners of their land not for any crimes but "because they are the wrong color."

I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers. “South African Government is now seizing land from white farmers.” @TuckerCarlson @FoxNews — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 23, 2018

ADVERTISEMENT

Carlson said Thursday evening that he didn't speak to the president or anyone at the White House before the segment aired and hasn't spoken to Trump since a July 17 interview following the Helsinki, Finland, summit with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Carlson has conducted two interviews with the president since taking office 19 months ago, with the first occurring in March 2017.

When asked if he considers the president may be watching on a given night, Carlson said doesn't consider it when crafting content for the program.

"Never. I never think about that. I never expect that. The last thing I seek is to advise politicians. Any politician," he replied.



The president's reactions to segments and commentary he's sees on Fox News, especially on Twitter, is well documented.

He often lauds "Fox & Friends," which is a Fox News program that he had a weekly segment on called "Mondays with Trump" for several years starting in 2011.

Was @foxandfriends just named the most influential show in news? You deserve it - three great people! The many Fake News Hate Shows should study your formula for success! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2017

Trump is also reportedly close with host Sean Hannity and speaks to the primetime host on a regular basis.

When asked to comment on his relationship with the president, Hannity said the characterizations are "total bullshit" and "nobody knows" how much access he has to the Oval Office.

“I really kind of enjoy that nobody knows, and I’m just going to leave it that way,” Hannity said in an interview with Forbes published in July. “But I can tell you this: Nobody has ever gotten my relationship with Donald Trump right, ever.”