Karoline Leavitt Joins Fox News as Contributor After White House Departure

Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will join Fox News as an on-air contributor starting November 1st, just over a month after leaving her position. Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott announced the appointment on Monday, citing Leavitt’s experience in the White House and on the presidential campaign trail as valuable assets. Leavitt, 29, served as the 36th White House press secretary during President Donald Trump’s second administration, from January 2025 to August 2026, and previously held roles in Trump’s 2024 campaign and first administration. She also ran for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022. Leavitt’s departure from the White House in August was attributed to her desire to spend more time with her two young children, with Trump stating she would remain an outside advisor. The move continues a pattern of former White House press secretaries joining Fox News, following Kayleigh McEnany and Dana Perino, and mirroring a broader trend of White House officials transitioning to cable news roles, including Jen Psaki at MS NOW and George Stephanopoulos at ABC News. No replacement for Leavitt has been named, with various cabinet members temporarily filling the spokesperson role. Leavitt is known for her unwavering support of Trump’s agenda and her often confrontational style with the press corps.

Where they differ

• El Pais highlighted the cyclical nature of Trump staffing Fox News, noting the network drew heavily from its roster when staffing his government.
• The Daily Caller and Fox News emphasized Trump's praise of Leavitt, including a nickname, 'machine-gun lips,' and a claim she was one of the best White House Press Secretaries in history.
• Multiple sources noted Leavitt's age as the youngest White House press secretary in history, while others focused on her 'unwavering' support for the president.
• Some sources detailed Leavitt’s prior political experience, including her congressional run and work with Elise Stefanik, while others focused solely on her White House roles.

What is not yet known

• Whether a permanent replacement for Leavitt will be named.
• How Leavitt's commentary will be integrated into the Fox News lineup beyond being a contributor across various platforms.

Background

• Karoline Leavitt served as the 36th White House press secretary from January 2025 to August 2026 during President Trump’s second administration [Fact Refinery, 2026-08-12].
• Leavitt also held roles in Trump’s 2024 campaign and first administration, and ran for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022 [Fact Refinery, 2026-08-12].
• Following Leavitt’s departure, Vice President J.D. Vance and several cabinet members temporarily filled the spokesperson role [Fact Refinery, 2026-09-03].
• Prior White House press secretaries Kayleigh McEnany and Dana Perino have also joined Fox News as contributors, establishing a pattern of transitions from the White House to the network [Fact Refinery, 2026-08-12].

Our reading

Our reading is that this appointment solidifies the close relationship between Karoline Leavitt and the Trump political operation, extending her influence beyond the White House. The consistent movement of former White House officials to cable news, particularly Fox News, suggests a deliberate strategy to maintain a supportive media presence and shape the narrative around the administration and its agenda. The emphasis on Leavitt’s “unwavering” support and “confrontational style” indicates Fox News intends to utilize her as a partisan advocate.

What to watch

• Whether Fox News announces specific programming plans for Leavitt beyond simply being a “contributor” across various platforms [as noted in “What is not yet known” in the article].
• The naming of a permanent replacement for Leavitt as White House press secretary, and whether the administration continues to rely on cabinet members for briefings [article states no replacement has been named].
• Any statements from CNN, MS NOW, or Politico regarding Leavitt’s new role, given the ongoing dispute over access to White House events [Fact Refinery, 2026-09-21].

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