It’s not unusual for President Trump to staff his administration with Fox News personalities; he has appointed several Fox News personalities, including Pete Hegseth, Sean Duffy, and Mehmet Oz. Now, it’s not unusual for the president’s press secretaries to land a post-White House gig with Fox News.
Karoline Leavitt, 29, became the youngest press secretary in history. Just a year and seven months into her run, she left the position. Trump posted on Truth Social about Leavitt’s departure, citing her leaving as a chance to “spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect!”
Leavitt is now the third press secretary to join Fox News after their time with the Trump administration, following behind Kayleigh McEnany and Sarah Huckabee Sanders. She officially begins on Nov. 1 and has claimed to “remain a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party.”
Leavitt’s departure came as a surprise, as she had worked alongside President Trump for years. She served as assistant press secretary and in the Office of Presidential Correspondence during the first Trump administration, meaning she had been a Trump advocate since she was at least eighteen.
While the White House-to-Fox News track, or vice versa, isn’t uncommon, it is becoming questionable. President Trump, especially as of late, has been vocal about his distaste for Fox News current programming and stances. On Oct. 6, President Trump took to Truth Social, saying, “They [Fox News] don’t show my record-breaking rallies the morning after, but others do, and that’s what MAGA is watching.” The president claims that Fox News spends too much time covering new Democrats such as Abdul El-Sayed, and should focus more on “good old Republicans.”
Since Leavitt swore to be a true defender of MAGA and a voice for the administration, going to another station that the president is slandering as unfaithful is a questionable choice.
Fox has been teetering on the edge of safety in the president’s eyes recently, when they took his ally Maria Bartiromo off the air. However, Bartiromo wasn’t taken off the air for what Trump said was “complain[ing] about not being allowed to cover ‘TRUMP.‘” It was after she leaked confidential internal company communications to the Trump administration.
The president is obviously not happy with his loyal allies being taken off the air, so Fox News scrutiny is to be expected. However, Fox is not the only media outlet being attacked. On Sept. 18, the president banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from reporting inside the White House, causing an uproar in the news community. Fox News surprised everyone when, in solidarity with the stations, it decided not to cover any White House developments.
While Fox remains home to Trump defenders and advocates like Sean Hannity and Jesse Watters, the question remains: will the outlet continue its unwavering loyalty to the Trump administration? Karoline Leavitt’s arrival at Fox is sure to redefine the future of “MAGA” at Fox News.