Several Fox staffers could not figure out precisely what it was that had set him off and speculated that the possible release of a report by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III was probably on his mind, according to two of them. These people, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly…

A source familiar with the inner workings of Fox News said the president isn’t on the phone with producers or executives in charge of coverage. He calls opinion hosts with whom he has a preexisting relationship, this person said.

Another Fox insider said that Fox News strives to operate on principles that might not always align with appealing to the channel’s core audience. Inherent in that calculation is that the channel should sometimes value principles over ratings.