April 17, 2018
The phone calls between President Trump and Sean Hannity come early in the morning or late at night, after the Fox News host goes off the air. They discuss ideas for Hannity’s show, Trump’s frustration with the ongoing special counsel probe and even, at times, what the president should tweet, according to people familiar with the conversations. When he’s off the phone, Trump is known to cite Hannity when he talks with White House advisers. The revelation this week that the two men share an attorney is just the latest sign of how Hannity is intertwined with Trump’s world — an increasingly powerful confidant who offers the *media-driven president a sympathetic ear and shared grievances. The conservative commentator is so close to Trump that some White House aides have dubbed him the unofficial chief of staff. For a president who feels, intensely, that he is under siege, Hannity offers what he prizes: loyalty and a mass audience. And Trump, in turn, has directed his supporters to Hannity’s show — urging people on Twitter last week to watch the commentator attack special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who heads the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign.
“Sometimes, Hannity gets him fired up,” the adviser said. “But Hannity also reminds him of what his base thinks.” Fox News said Tuesday in a statement that while the network “was unaware of Sean Hannity’s informal relationship with Michael Cohen and was surprised by the announcement in court yesterday, we have reviewed the matter and spoken to Sean and he continues to have our full support.” Advisers, at times, refer to Hannity as the “shadow” chief of staff, rivaling White House chief of staff John F. Kelly in terms of influence. Whenever Trump is irritated by his staff, he turns to outside allies, and Hannity is usually atop the call list. Cohen appeared on Hannity’s TV show three days before Trump’s inauguration last year. Hannity pressed him on one issue: Given that Cohen was Trump’s personal attorney, “Can I assume that in that role, not being a government role, that you’d have attorney-client privilege with President Trump?” “Yes, of course,” Cohen replied. “That relationship, hopefully, will last, you know, for — not four years, but eight years. I think he’s a wonderful man.”
