President Donald Trump talked to Rupert Murdoch to congratulate the 21st Century Fox executive chairman on the company's deal to sell major assets to the Walt Disney Co.

"I know that the president spoke with Rupert Murdoch earlier today, congratulated him on the deal," press secretary Sarah Sanders said at Thursday's White House press briefing. She added that the president believed the deal could be a "great thing for jobs."

The deal is worth more than $52 billion in stock and includes Fox's movie studios, Hulu, regional sports networks, and other components.

Sanders' description of the call between the billionaires came after a separate report about their discussion. Vanity Fair reporter Gabriel Sherman, citing a person briefed on the call, tweeted that Trump talked to Murdoch ahead of the deal to make sure Fox wasn't selling Fox News.

Sherman tweet: Trump spoke with Murdoch ahead of Disney deal to make sure Murdoch wasn't selling Fox News, person briefed on the call said

Fox News was not sold as part of the deal.

A spokeswoman for 21st Century Fox didn't immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

The president's interest in the channel is well documented: He has tweeted about it on at least 108 days since becoming president, according to a tally done by The Washington Post in November.

Read more of CNBC's coverage about the deal.