Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly became a top target of President Donald Trump while he was the nomination front-runner after the first Republican primary debate in August 2015. Then-Breitbart editor in chief turned White House chief strategist Steve Bannon subsequently took aim at Kelly on his website.
Former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes begged Bannon to lay off of Kelly, but Bannon showed no mercy, according to New York Magazine. Bannon was able to increase the pressure on Fox News with a growing following at Breitbart.
Ailes called Bannon asking him to stop attacking Kelly.
"Steve, this isn't fair, and it's killing us," Ailes said. "You have to stop it."
"F*** that, that was outrageous what she did!" Bannon said. "She pulled every trick out of the leftist playbook."
Ailes sent his lawyer, Peter Johnson Jr., to talk to Bannon after Breitbart kept going after Kelly. Johnson threatened Bannon by saying that if the attacks did not stop, Bannon would not appear on Fox News anymore.
"She's pure evil," Bannon said. "And she will turn on [Ailes] one day. We're going full-bore. We're not going to stop. I'm gonna unchain the dogs."
"I want you to go back to New York and quote me to Roger," Bannon said. "'Go f*** yourself.'"