US President Donald Trump has rebuked Fox News, accusing the cable channel of being ungrateful and forgetting “who got them where they are”.

“I was on Air Force One flying to the Great State of Texas, where I just landed. It is AMAZING in watching Fox News,” the President tweeted on Wednesday (local time).

“How different they are from four years ago. Not even watchable. They totally forgot who got them where they are!”

Tweet from @realDonaldTrump

While Mr Trump is a frequent guest on the morning show Fox & Friends and and has consistent support from the network’s evening line-up to advance his agenda, he has taken growing exception to Fox’s daytime programming.

It wasn’t immediately clear what segment upset the President during his flight to Texas, though he often criticises Fox’s polling, which has consistently showed him trailing Democrat Joe Biden in the November election.

In August 2019, Trump blasted the conservative outlet for what he perceived to be a lack of loyalty.

“We have to start looking for a new News Outlet,” he tweeted. “Fox isn’t working for us anymore!”

Fox News veteran Neil Cavuto, who has been with the outlet for more than 24 years, snapped back at the president.

“First of all, Mr. President, we don’t work for you,” Cavuto claimed in a critical follow-up.

“I don’t work for you. My job is to cover you, not fawn over you or rip you, just report on you. Call balls and strikes on you. My job, Mr. President, our job here, is to keep the scores, not settle scores.”

Mr Trump has also suggested that Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace – who grilled the President in a dizzying interview earlier this month – should go to work for more liberal-leaning networks such as CNN or MSNBC.

Mr Trump has blamed Fox News’s supposed demise on the death of its founder, Roger Ailes, who died in May 2017.

“I know better than anyone that my friend Roger Ailes died 3 years ago, just look at what happened to @FoxNews. We all miss Roger!!!”

Tweet from @realDonaldTrump

Ailes, who inspired the film Bombshell, left Fox in July 2016 after nearly two dozen women accused him of sexual misconduct.

Fox News’ ratings have remained high throughout the administration.

The network boasted that this month was its best July yet, with its top shows, Tucker Carlson Tonight and Hannity, at the forefront. Both programs reportedly averaged more than four million viewers per night.

-with agencies