Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt (Photo: Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Karoline Leavitt Joins Fox News as On-Air Contributor Two Months After Leaving White House

October 5, 2026

Karoline Leavitt Joins Fox News as On-Air Contributor Two Months After Leaving White House

Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is joining Fox News as an on-air contributor, the network announced on Monday, October 5, 2026. Leavitt, who served as President Donald Trump’s press secretary from January 2025 until August 2026, will begin appearing on the channel on November 1.

The announcement was made by Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott. Leavitt, 29, was the youngest person in American history to serve as White House press secretary.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue appearing on Fox News Channel as an official member of the extraordinary team at Fox News Media,” Leavitt said in a statement. “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.”

Why is Karoline Leavitt joining Fox News?

Leavitt’s move comes two months after she left the White House. Trump announced on August 12 that she would depart at the end of August to spend more time with her family. She had returned to work from maternity leave earlier in the summer after giving birth to her daughter Viviana on May 1.

In announcing the hire, Scott praised Leavitt’s credentials: “Karoline’s firsthand experience in the White House and on the presidential campaign trail gives her a distinct understanding of today’s political landscape. We look forward to her providing our audience with authentic and sharp insight across all Fox News Media platforms.”

Leavitt will appear across Fox News’ news and opinion programming, offering commentary and analysis informed by her time in the White House and on the 2024 campaign trail.

Who is Karoline Leavitt?

Leavitt’s rise in Republican politics has been remarkably fast:

2016: Interned at Fox News as a college student during the presidential election
2022: Ran for Congress in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District
2024: Served as National Press Secretary for Trump’s presidential campaign
January 2025: Appointed White House press secretary at age 27 — the youngest ever, and the first to hold the role while pregnant
May 2026: Gave birth to her daughter Viviana, her second child with husband Nicholas Riccio; the couple also share 2-year-old Niko
August 2026: Stepped down as press secretary

Before her national profile, Leavitt worked as communications director for then-House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik.

The revolving door between Trump world and Fox News

Leavitt’s move continues a long pattern of traffic between the Trump White House and the Murdoch-owned network — in both directions. Trump recruited several Fox News personalities into his administration, including Pete Hegseth, Sean Duffy, and Mehmet Oz. Now a homegrown star of the Trump White House is headed the other way.

She joins other former Trump staffers on the network’s air, including former press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, now a Fox News co-host, and former economic adviser Larry Kudlow, a Fox Business Network host.

What did Trump say when she left?

When announcing her departure in August, Trump praised her warmly, calling her one of the best White House press secretaries in the history of the office and saying she was leaving to spend more time with her children and family — “a decision I totally understand and respect.”

Leavitt has said she has no plans to distance herself from Trump or the Republican Party, and her move to Fox News keeps her firmly in the MAGA orbit as the 2026 midterm cycle heats up.

What will her role look like?

As an on-air contributor, Leavitt will appear as a commentator across Fox News Media platforms rather than hosting her own show — at least to start. Contributors typically appear as guests on news and opinion programs, offering political analysis. Given her profile as the face of the Trump White House briefings, she is likely to become one of the network’s most prominent voices heading into the midterms.

FAQ

When does Karoline Leavitt start at Fox News?
She will begin appearing as an on-air contributor on November 1, 2026.

Why did Karoline Leavitt leave the White House?
She stepped down at the end of August 2026 to spend more time with her young children and family, after returning from maternity leave following the birth of her daughter Viviana in May.

How old is Karoline Leavitt?
She is 29. She became the youngest White House press secretary in U.S. history when appointed at age 27 in January 2025.

Who announced her Fox News role?
Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott, who said Leavitt’s White House and campaign experience gives her “a distinct understanding of today’s political landscape.”