Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Joins Fox News

Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is joining Fox News as an on-air contributor, the network announced Monday. She will begin Nov. 1 and provide commentary across its shows.

“I look forward to bringing my unique perspective from my experience as White House press secretary, along with the same energy and candor that defined my tenure, to Fox’s millions of viewers across their many platforms,” Leavitt said in a statement.

Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott praised Leavitt’s “authentic and sharp insight,” saying her “firsthand experience in the White House and on the presidential campaign trail gives her a distinct understanding of today’s political landscape.”

Leavitt, 29, served as press secretary from the first day of President Donald Trump’s second administration until the end of August. She had previously worked on his presidential campaign. After the birth of her daughter, her second child, Leavitt said she was leaving the demanding White House role to spend more time with her children. The Guardian reported that she also said she planned to take a role with the Trump-aligned super PAC Maga Inc.

Leavitt was the youngest press secretary in White House history, according to The Guardian. The newspaper reported that when she announced her pregnancy in December, she became the first sitting White House press secretary to do so.

Her tenure included changes to the way the White House dealt with reporters. According to The Guardian, Leavitt sought greater control over the press pool, the small group of journalists who closely follow the president’s daily activities. She also created a “new media” briefing room seat that was often filled by conservative commentators and pro-Trump personalities, and she frequently clashed with reporters. Leavitt remains a close ally of Trump.

The move follows a path taken by other former White House press secretaries. Trump’s former press secretaries Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kayleigh McEnany joined Fox News after leaving office, The Guardian reported. McEnany became a co-host, while Dana Perino, who served under President George W. Bush, is a Fox News commentator and host. Former Biden administration press secretary Jen Psaki has a show at MS NOW. Tony Snow made the move in the other direction: He hosted “Fox News Sunday” before becoming Bush’s press secretary in 2006.

Leavitt’s arrival comes despite Trump’s public criticism of Fox News. On Sunday, he criticized “Fox & Friends” for not airing his recent rallies, according to The Guardian. “Our people want to see our Rallies, and reports on our Rallies, on FoxNews, or they will very quickly stop watching,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Trump has not announced who may replace Leavitt as press secretary.