Donald Trump spent Sunday morning raging at Fox News.
By Monday, his former White House press secretary had a new job there.
Fox News announced Monday that Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down as Trump’s press secretary in August, is joining the network as an on-air contributor beginning November 1.
The move puts one of Trump’s most recognizable and combative former White House defenders directly onto the network he was publicly attacking barely a day earlier.
And the timing could hardly be more striking.
Trump lashed out at Fox on Sunday after becoming angry over what he considered insufficient coverage of his recent campaign rallies, including his Saturday event in Ohio.
“Sad to see that Fox & Friends (Sunday) is not covering our packed house and incredibly enthusiastic (beyond!) Rally that took place in Ohio last night,” Trump wrote.
He went on to complain that Fox spends too much time featuring Democrats and other voices he opposes, warning that MAGA supporters were not “happy” with the network.
Trump even suggested Fox could eventually suffer the kind of ratings problems he routinely attributes to CNN if it continued down the same path.
Then came Monday’s announcement.
Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott praised Leavitt’s experience in both the White House and on the campaign trail, saying it gives her a distinctive perspective on American politics.
Leavitt, meanwhile, said she plans to bring the same energy and candor to Fox that characterized her tenure in the Trump administration.
It’s hardly unfamiliar territory.
Leavitt has appeared frequently on Fox, including since leaving the White House, and she spent her time as press secretary aggressively defending Trump while frequently clashing with reporters from mainstream news organizations.
Her arrival also adds another former White House press secretary to Fox’s roster.
Kayleigh McEnany, who served as Trump’s final press secretary during his first administration, joined Fox in 2021 and now co-hosts “Outnumbered.” Dana Perino, who served as press secretary under George W. Bush, is another major figure at the network.
But Leavitt’s move comes with an additional twist.
During Trump’s second term, the personnel pipeline had largely been moving in the opposite direction.
Trump recruited several prominent Fox personalities for his administration, including Pete Hegseth and Sean Duffy.
Now one of the most visible faces of his second White House is heading back through the revolving door — from the Trump administration to Fox News.
Leavitt became the youngest White House press secretary in American history when she took the podium after Trump returned to office. She stepped down in August, saying she wanted more time with her young family while remaining an outside adviser and prominent Republican voice.
She isn’t leaving Trump’s political orbit behind.
But beginning November 1, she’ll have a new platform from which to operate.
And remarkably, it will be on the very network her former boss was publicly tearing into less than 24 hours before her new job was announced.
About the Author
