Karoline Leavitt is heading to Fox News as a contributor, the network announced Monday via a Fox News news release. Leavitt will begin her new role Nov. 1.
The move follows her departure from the White House, where she served as press secretary since the first day of the second Trump administration. Leavitt, 29, left at the end of August, citing the birth of her daughter — her second child — as the impetus for her decision.
“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.
“Karoline’s firsthand experience in the White House and on the presidential campaign trail gives her a distinct understanding of today’s political landscape,” FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said in a statement.
Leavitt remains a close ally of President Trump.
The Path From Campaign to Press Secretary
Leavitt’s career with Donald Trump began on his presidential campaign. She then moved to the White House, where she held the press secretary role through the entirety of the second Trump administration.
Her exit came at the end of August, shortly after the birth of her daughter. The timing raised questions about who might replace her.
Mr. Trump has not announced a replacement for Leavitt.
Who Else Has Made the Move
Leavitt joins a long line of former White House press secretaries who have found homes at Fox News.
| Person | Role | Current Fox News Position |
|---|---|---|
| Jen Psaki | Former Biden White House press secretary | Host of MS NOW |
| Kayleigh McEnany | Former Trump White House press secretary | Co-host |
| Dana Perino | White House press secretary for George W. Bush | Commentator and host |
| Tony Snow | Hosted “Fox News Sunday” | Became White House press secretary for Bush in 2006 |
The pattern is familiar. A stint in the White House ends, and the next stop is often the network’s airwaves.
What Leavitt Will Do at Fox
As a contributor, Leavitt will provide commentary across Fox News shows. The exact format of her appearances has not been detailed.
Her arrival adds another voice to the network’s lineup of former White House officials. Her age — 29 — sets her apart from some of the older contributors who have preceded her.
The Pattern at Fox
The pattern at Fox News is consistent. Former White House officials leave their posts and show up on the network within months.
Leavitt’s move fits that template exactly. She worked on Trump’s campaign before taking the press secretary role.
Her age gives her a distinct profile. She is relatively young compared to some of her predecessors, which could make her a fresh face in a crowded field.
What Comes Next
Leavitt’s first appearance as a Fox News contributor will come Nov. 1. That date gives the network a clear marker for her debut.
Whether she becomes a regular fixture will depend on how her analysis lands. The network has not announced a fixed schedule beyond her initial contribution.
The question of who replaces her at the White House remains unanswered. Mr. Trump has not announced a successor.
For now, the story is settled. Karoline Leavitt is joining Fox News as a contributor, and her first day is Nov. 1.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs Leavitt’s move to Fox News as a matter of individual choice, and is against any regulation that would treat her career as a problem rather than an opportunity. People leave jobs and take new ones every day, and the market should reward talent regardless of where it came from.
Leavitt’s path — from the campaign to the White House to Fox — is a well-worn route that has carried Psaki, McEnany, Perino and Snow before her. None of them needed special permission to do it. The paper supports the free flow of talent between government and media, so long as no one tries to freeze it with rules that only benefit the current incumbents.
What matters is what Leavitt says and does at Fox, not where she came from. The reader should watch her work there, judge it on its merits, and let her career speak for itself.
See the video the story is built around at CBS News.
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