Donald Trump says he's 'always been friends' with Fox News

Donald Trump returned to Fox News Tuesday morning for the first time since attacking the network's Megyn Kelly in the wake of her tough questioning of the GOP candidate for president during the party's first debate.

But he made no mention of Kelly or her questions during his brief phone interview with Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy, making only passing reference to his brouhaha with the network, saying that they'd "always been friends."

Trump and Fox News, one of the most powerful voices in Republican and conservative circles, had been in a bitter feud since last week's presidential debate. While he leads recent polls, the former reality television star had drawn heated criticism from many in his own party for saying Kelly had "blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever" during the debate.

Trump was expected to get questions on the spat during a media availabilityTuesday evening before a Republican fundraising event in Michigan. CBC News will livestreamthenews conference starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.

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The feud, however, seemed to thaw Monday after the network's chairman, Roger Ailes, reached out to Trump directly to clear the air.

"I assured him that we will continue to cover this campaign with fairness & balance," Ailes said in a statement.

Trump said on Twitter that Ailes had assured him he would always be treated fairly by the network.

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm fine with it," Trump said in a freewheeling, 30-minute interview with CNN's New Day when asked about the flap after concluding his interview with Fox.

The CNN conversation was much more heated, as host Chris Cuomo pressed Trump on his lack of specific policy proposals since declaring his presidential run. His campaign has said it plans to unveil new policy plans soon.

"They want me to come up with a 10-point plan, a 14-point plan, a 20-point plan. It doesn't necessarily work that way," said Trump, who argued that, in business, flexibility is key.

Embraces 'whiner' tag

Asked about how he would achieve his goal of simplifying the tax code, Trump responded: "Here's what you can do: You can have a fair tax, you can have a flat tax, or you can leave the system alone, which is probably the simplest at this point, leave the system alone and take out deductions and lower taxes and do lots of really good things, leaving the system the way it is."

"And I know exactly what I want to do, I just don't want to announce it yet," he added. "I'm just not prepared to tell you right now."

He also embraced the idea that he is a "fabulous whiner," as suggested by a newspaper columnist.

"I am the most fabulous whiner," he declared. "And I keep whining and whining until I win."

On both shows, Trump refused once again to rule out a third-party run.

"We're going to keep the door open, we're going to see what happens," he said on Fox. "I want to run as a Republican But I do want to keep that door open in case I don't get treated fairly."