Karoline Leavitt to join Fox News as contributor on 1 November

Developing story first seen 2 hours ago

Daily Mail · 2 hours ago

The new coverage adds that Karoline Leavitt is due to start as a Fox News contributor on 1 November, after leaving her role as White House press secretary at the end of August. The appointment gives the 29-year-old another platform for political appearances as she continues to support the MAGA movement and the Republican Party.

According to the article, which cites a New York Times report, Fox contributors are booked as guests for on-demand appearances. Leavitt has already appeared on the network and spoken at Republican and White House events; her move follows former press secretaries Kayleigh McEnany and Dana Perino, who also joined Fox. The announcement comes amid Donald Trump’s criticism of Fox for not carrying live coverage of his recent campaign rallies.

Leavitt joins Fox News as a contributor on 1 November.
She left the White House press secretary role in August.
The appointment comes amid Trump’s criticism of Fox’s rally coverage.

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Karoline Leavitt was the press secretary for Donald Trump's White House, serving as the official spokesperson for the administration. She left that post in August and has been hired as a Fox News contributor, due to start in November.

Contributors are guest commentators who appear on news programmes when invited rather than working as full-time journalists. Since leaving the White House, Leavitt has already appeared frequently on Fox News and spoken at Republican events, so this formalises an existing relationship. The move follows a familiar pattern in American politics, with other recent White House press secretaries including Kayleigh McEnany and Dana Perino also moving into media roles at Fox.

The appointment comes against a backdrop of tension between Donald Trump and Fox News over the network's editorial coverage of his campaigns. The hire effectively extends Leavitt's public influence as an advocate for Trump and Republican politics beyond her formal government position.

Both sides, in good faith

The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.

The case for

The appointment exemplifies concerns about the revolving door between government and media, which can compromise journalistic independence and create perverse incentives during tenure in office. When Trump administration officials move seamlessly into prominent roles at outlets covering their former employer, it raises legitimate questions about editorial independence, potential bias in coverage, and whether networks function as watchdog institutions or extensions of political operations.

The case against

This represents standard practice across American media and politics, with clear transparency about contributors' backgrounds enabling audiences to evaluate perspectives accordingly. Former government officials possess valuable insider expertise that enriches public discourse, and contributor roles—distinct from news reporters—are properly separated from news divisions. Professional freedom to work across sectors after government service is both practical and consistent with democratic principles.

Full account

Karoline Leavitt, the former White House press secretary, will join Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, with her tenure commencing on 1 November. The network's chief executive, Suzanne Scott, announced the appointment on Monday, noting that Leavitt would provide commentary and analysis across Fox's various broadcasting platforms and digital channels. The 29-year-old, who departed from her White House post in August after approximately eight months in the role, holds the distinction of being the youngest person in American history to have served in the position of press secretary. Her appointment comes as she transitions from direct government service to media commentary.

Leavitt's professional trajectory demonstrates a consistent alignment with the Trump movement and conservative media ecosystem. She initially worked within Trump's administration as a presidential writer and assistant press secretary, subsequently serving as national press secretary for his 2024 presidential campaign. She then assumed the chief press secretary position at the commencement of Trump's second term in January 2025, representing the administration before the White House press corps and media organisations. Earlier in her career, she had contested a congressional seat in New Hampshire's first district in 2022 and served as communications director for Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. She graduated from Saint Anselm College in 2019 with a degree in politics and communication and notably interned at Fox News during the 2016 presidential election cycle.

Leavitt attributed her resignation in August to the considerable difficulty of balancing the demanding responsibilities of the press secretary role with her personal commitments as a mother of two young children. Throughout her tenure at the White House, she presided over regular press briefings that were notably characterised by a contentious relationship between herself and the press corps. She frequently opened sessions with pointed criticism of media organisations and maintained a vigorous defence of the president's record, whilst simultaneously attacking political opponents and the Democratic Party. Her departure was presented by the administration as potentially temporary in nature, with indications that she would continue to provide counsel and advice to Trump through informal channels outside the formal government structure.

Fox News CEO Scott's announcement highlighted Leavitt's distinctive value stemming from her direct experience within the White House and on the presidential campaign trail, positioning her as a voice with authentic insider understanding. Leavitt herself expressed gratitude for the opportunity and committed to applying the same 'energy and candor' that characterised her press secretary tenure to her new role at the network. The appointment reflects an established pattern of circulation between the Trump administration and Fox News, with prominent examples including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, both of whom held significant positions at the network prior to joining the administration. Notably, the timing of this announcement arrives during a period of tension in the Trump-Fox relationship, with the president having recently criticised the network for inadequate coverage of his campaign rallies and events.

Where outlets differ

Source 1 (Daily Mail) uniquely emphasises Trump's recent criticism of Fox News over rally coverage, contextualising the appointment within the broader Trump-Fox relationship; other sources focus on the appointment itself without this political context.

Source 4 (Deadline) provides notably more critical characterisation of Leavitt's tenure, describing 'confrontational' press briefings and frequent media criticism, whilst other sources maintain a more neutral tone regarding her press secretary role.

Source 1 presents the appointment as part of a broader pattern of Trump administration recruitment from Fox News personnel; other sources treat it primarily as an individual career move.

Only Source 2 (Fox News) includes Leavitt's own characterisation of her departure as a 'bittersweet decision'; Sources 1, 3, and 4 report only Trump's public statement that she left for family reasons.

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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Karoline Leavitt scores cushy Fox News job after White House exit”.