Karoline Leavitt has landed a job at Fox News, barely 24 hours after her old boss, President Donald Trump, spent the morning ranting about the network.
Leavitt, 29, left the Trump administration in August to focus on her young family, but the former White House press secretary is now joining Fox as an on-air contributor, the network said Monday.
Leavitt’s new gig, which starts on November 1, comes as Trump’s list of gripes with the network grows longer. On Sunday, he raged about the usually sycophantic network’s decision to ignore his Ohio rally.
“Sad to see that Fox & Friends (Sunday) is not covering our packed house and incredibly enthusiastic (beyond!) Rally that took place in Ohio last night, or the ones in Alabama, Texas, or Oklahoma over the past two days,” Trump began.
“It’s the old undercurrent at FoxNews!” Trump fumed. “Other networks are reporting about these Rallies, and really positively, like ‘crazy!’”
In the same post, he ranted about Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo losing her position. Status reported that she was fired after she told the White House that Fox executives had instructed the network’s anchors not to promote his election conspiracies. Her lawyer refutes this claim and has promised clarity over the sudden exit.
“Who makes these decisions at FoxNews? Probably the same loser that fired the great Maria Bartiromo because she complained about not being allowed to cover ‘TRUMP,’” he wrote.
On Wednesday, he said that “MAGA, and REAL Patriots, will never like Fox!” because “They repeat a completely negative narrative” and give Democrats who badmouth the president too much airtime, in his opinion.
Leavitt, who earned an annual salary of $195,200 as White House Press Secretary, said in a statement that she’ll bring “the unique perspective and candor that defined my tenure with the Trump administration” to her new role.
Leavitt, who had her second child in May, explained when she left the White House that “being a mother and welcoming a new baby while working in one of the most demanding jobs in the world has been the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least.”
“I will always remain a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party,” she added.
Trump, 80, had announced her departure shortly earlier on Truth Social, saying that it was “so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect!”
She is married to 60-year-old real estate developer Nicolas Riccio, with whom she has two children: Niko, born in 2024, and Viviana, born in May.
Her decision to join Fox News will surprise few. In fact, network stars have been teasing the move for weeks.
On September 17, Leavitt, who has not been replaced after leaving the White House, appeared on Sean Hannity’s eponymous show to offer her usual fawning praise of Trump.
At the end of the interview, Hannity teased Leavitt’s potential next career move following her sudden departure.
“How does it sound, The Briefing With Karoline Leavitt? How do you like the sound of that?” Hannity asked.
Hannity was referencing MS NOW’s primetime show The Briefing With Jen Psaki, hosted by former President Joe Biden’s first White House press secretary, who left the role in May 2022.
“Well, Sean, we have had our segment before, you and me. I will continue to join your show anytime you want, that’s for sure,” Leavitt replied. “But thank you.”
After leaving the White House, it was announced that Leavitt would work for Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc., and offer outside counsel to the president. It is unclear if the Fox News gig changes this.
