Gove’s interview with Trump took place under watchful eye of Murdoch

News Corp mogul present at media coup as pro-Brexit MP quizzed US president

It was the journalistic coup of the moment: the first British newspaper interview with Donald Trump since his victory. But there was one thing The Times did not reveal: that its proprietor, Rupert Murdoch, was sitting in on the conversation.

The chairman of News Corp did not feature in photographs of the encounter last month at the top of Trump Tower in Manhattan but two people have confirmed he was in the room. The interview was conducted by Michael Gove, the former British cabinet minister and proponent of the UK’s exit from the EU.

Mr Murdoch’s presence at the interview is a sign of the mogul’s interest in Mr Trump and his close relationship with the new president and his family.

The Financial Times revealed this week that Ivanka Trump, the president’s eldest daughter, was until recently a trustee for shares belonging to Grace and Chloe, Mr Murdoch’s two daughters by his ex-wife Wendi Deng.

Ms Trump represented the girls’ interests in 21st Century Fox and News Corp, the two companies controlled by the Murdoch family. Ms Trump is married to Jared Kushner, a key White House adviser – and confidant of Mr Murdoch. A spokesperson told the FT that Ms Trump stepped down from the trustee board on December 28 last year.

Mr Trump and Mr Murdoch are in regular contact, while the latter has positioned his Fox News Channel squarely behind the new president.

When Megyn Kelly, a star Fox News presenter, left the network for NBC last month, Mr Murdoch personally selected her replacement, the Trump-supporting presenter Tucker Carlson.

In the Times interview, Mr Trump riled the US’s European allies by describing Nato as “obsolete” and the EU as a “vehicle for Germany”. It was unclear whether Mr Murdoch played a role in securing the interview.

Mr Gove announced in February 2016 that he would campaign for the Leave side in Britain’s EU referendum, infuriating many of his pro-EU cabinet friends. Mr Murdoch praised Mr Gove at the time on Twitter, saying: “Congratulations Michael Gove. Friends always knew his principles would overcome his personal friendships.”

Mr Gove is paid £150,000 a year to write for The Times, which is owned by News Corp, on top of his MP salary. He did not respond to requests to comment.