‘Merger between Fox News and the Trump presidency’ on display at latest campaign rally: CNN media analyst

The trend of Fox News looking increasingly like official state TV during the era of President Donald Trump was highlighted during a Wednesday campaign rally in Montana.

Bill Shine, who replaced Hope Hicks as the White House Director of Communications, was also given the title of Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications when he joined the administration in July.

Before joining the Trump administration, Shine had served as co-president of Fox News before being forced out in May of 2017.

CNN senior media correspondent Brian Stelter explained Shine's role at the campaign rally, showing video of Fox News personality Pete Hegseth as the "pre-game guy" who was "warming up the crowd" for Trump.

"We also know that Fox News' former boss now runs communication for the president," noted anchor Robyn Curnow. "I've worked in a few countries where the state broadcaster does similar things."

"When the going gets tough for President Trump, he goes to his friends, he goes literally to his Fox and Friends," Stelter answered.

"One other really interesting detail from our colleague Jim Acosta, he says at times it appeared Bill Shine was giving stage directions -- either to Trump or the Fox crew or to both -- that Shine was trying to help manage and set up and prepare this interview," he reported.

"It's a really interesting example of this merger between Fox News and the Trump presidency," Stelter concluded.

Watch: