Fox News and Trump Administration Make Surprising Crossover, 14 Alumni Named to Top Positions
A number of well-known figures from Fox News are set to join the Trump administration, with at least 14 individuals with ties to the network being named to top positions. The list includes Mr. Hegseth, a current Fox News host, who is poised to leave active duty and take on a role at the Pentagon. Tom Homan, a Fox contributor, is to become the border czar, while Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, who explained the Covid pandemic to Fox viewers, is nominated for surgeon general.
Mike Huckabee, a former Fox News host, is set to become ambassador to Israel, while Tulsi Gabbard, who left a Fox gig in August, is up for national intelligence director. Tammy Bruce and Monica Crowley, both longtime Fox commentators, are headed to the State Department.
The list of Fox alumni going into the administration also includes Sebastian Gorka, Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Keith Kellogg, among others. Sergio Gor, who will lead the White House Presidential Personnel Office, has not worked for Fox since 2012, when he was a booker for Neil Cavuto. Morgan Ortagus, nominated as a deputy special presidential envoy to the Middle East, worked as a network contributor for just two months in early 2019.
According to the president-elect, Ortagus has learned from her past experiences, citing his own Twitter post announcing her new role. “Early on Morgan fought me for three years, but hopefully has learned her lesson,” he wrote. “These things usually don’t work out, but she has strong Republican support, and I’m not doing this for me, I’m doing it for them. Let’s see what happens.”
Fox News’ executive chairman Lachlan Smith suggested that the large number of Fox alumni in the upcoming administration is a testament to the quality of its talent. “It’s a testament to the types of people we’ve picked in the past,” he said.