Roger Ailes, Former Fox News CEO, Dead At 77

Former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes has died at age 77. His cause of death has yet to be officially reported.

ROGER AILES, FORMER FOX NEWS CEO, DEAD AT 77

“I am profoundly sad and heartbroken to report that my husband, Roger Ailes, passed away this morning,” Ailes’ wife Elizabeth Ailes said in a statement. “Roger was a loving husband to me, to his son Zachary, and a loyal friend to many. He was also a patriot, profoundly grateful to live in a country that gave him so much opportunity to work hard, to rise – and to give back.”

While his cause of death is currently undisclosed, a reporter for New York Magazine, Gabriel Sherman, tweeted his thoughts. “Latest on what we know, per family friend: ‘Last week Ailes had some kind of blood clot in Palm Beach. Suffered complications.'”

The reporter also noted that Ailes has suffered from hemophilia and had undergone multiple surgeries and joint replacements. In a second tweet, he relayed that, “Per 2nd family friend on cause of death: Ailes fell in Palm Beach and had a blood clot from the fall. He suffered complications.”

The man responsible for turning Fox into a conservative media force resigned last summer amid allegations of sexual harassment. He served as CEO for Fox starting in 1996 before his ouster in 2016. Multiple women came forward last year to report sexual harassment accusations, including prominent host at the time, Megyn Kelly. Despite Ailes’ denials of the allegations, he was forced to resign in the aftermath.

Sherman also tweeted out that, “A Fox News employee who’d been sexually harassed by Ailes said this morning, “Justice.”

Many fans and colleagues took to Twitter to share their condolences for the Ohio-born newscaster as well. “Today America lost one of its great patriotic warriors. Roger Ailes. For Decades RA’s has impacted American politics and media,” wrote Sean Hannity.

“He wasn’t perfect, but Roger Ailes was my friend & I loved him,” chimed in George H. W. Bush. “Not sure I would have been President w/o his great talent, loyal help. RIP.”

Executive chairman of 21st Century Fox and Fox News Channel Rupert Murdoch gave a statement of his own. “Everybody at Fox News is shocked and grieved by the death of Roger Ailes,” he said. “A brilliant broadcaster, Roger played a huge role in shaping America’s media over the last 30 years. He will be remembered by the many people on both sides of the camera he discovered, nurtured and promoted. Roger and I shared a big idea which he executed in a way no one else could have,” Murdoch said. “In addition, Roger was a great patriot who never ceased fighting for his beliefs. At 21st Century Fox we will always be enormously grateful for the great business he built. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Elizabeth and son Zachary.”