Karoline Leavitt did not have to wait long to find her next gig. Barely a day after President Donald Trump spent the morning attacking Fox News for failing to give his rallies the coverage he wanted, his former press secretary landed a job with the network — adding another twist to her rapid White House exit and raising fresh questions about how closely she intends to remain tied to her former boss.
Leavitt, 29, is joining Fox News as an on-air contributor beginning Nov. 1, just weeks after leaving the Trump administration and amid reports that she may also be shopping a book about her time as one of Trump’s closest public defenders.
The move comes as Trump’s frustration with Fox has grown increasingly public, making Leavitt’s decision to join the network notable beyond her next career step.
Trump used a lengthy Truth Social post Sunday to complain that “Fox & Friends (Sunday)” had failed to cover what he described as his “packed house” at a rally in Ohio, along with rallies in Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma. He said the events were “absolutely phenomenal, better than ever!” and accused Fox of spending too much time giving airtime to Democrats and critics of his administration.
“It’s the old undercurrent at FoxNews!” Trump wrote. “Other networks are reporting about these Rallies, and really positively, like “crazy!””
He went on to warn Fox that its audience could abandon the network if it did not give his political events the attention he believes they deserve.
“Our people want to see our Rallies, and reports on our Rallies, on FoxNews, or they will very quickly stop watching (like I am doing right now!),” Trump wrote.
His post also included a personal attack on Fox host Jessica Tarlov and complaints about the network’s treatment of Maria Bartiromo, whose departure has itself become part of the dispute between Trump and Fox. “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.
The attack was not an isolated complaint. Earlier, Trump said that “MAGA, and REAL Patriots, will never like Fox!” because, in his view, the network was pushing “a completely negative narrative” and allowing Democrats who criticize him too much airtime.
Against that backdrop, Leavitt’s move to Fox immediately drew reactions from people who saw the transition as predictable.
One person wrote, “Karoline Leavitt is joining Fox News as an on-air contributor. I’m in shock.”
Another mocked the move while pointing to Leavitt’s place in a larger revolving door between Trump’s White House and conservative television. “The New York Times called Karoline Leavitt a ‘fierce and nimble speaker’ LOL. Kkkaroline is the third of Trump’s former press secretaries to land a post-White House gig at Fox. God help our ears.”
Others framed the move as evidence that former Trump officials are positioning themselves for what comes after their time inside his administration. “The rats jumping ships! They know what’s coming!” one reaction said.
And another reaction boiled it down to: “It was just a matter of time.”
The move was hardly out of nowhere. Fox personalities had already hinted that Leavitt could end up on the network. On Sept. 17, she appeared on Sean Hannity’s show and continued praising Trump. At the end of the interview, Hannity appeared to tease the possibility of Leavitt eventually getting her own program.
“How does it sound, The Briefing With Karoline Leavitt? How do you like the sound of that?” Hannity asked.
The reference was to “The Briefing With Jen Psaki,” the MSNBC show hosted by Joe Biden’s former press secretary after she left the White House.
Leavitt did not announce a show of her own, but she left the door open to continuing her television appearances.
“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.”
Her departure from the White House had initially been presented as a family decision. Trump announced it on Truth Social, saying she was leaving “so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect!”
Leavitt, who had her second child in May, had explained that the demands of the job had taken a toll even as she valued the experience.
“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.”
She also made clear that leaving the White House did not mean abandoning Trump’s political movement.
“I will always remain a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party,” she said.
But her post-White House plans have expanded quickly. After leaving, she became an outside adviser to Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc., while reports emerged that she was shopping a book about her time as Trump’s chief spokesperson.
That prospect has already generated controversy. A report said Leavitt had angered some MAGA supporters after sharing unflattering stories about her experience in the administration during an appearance on Hannity’s podcast.
There was also an unusual wrinkle to her farewell. Although Trump issued a lengthy statement praising her decision to leave, Leavitt’s goodbye post on X was labeled as having been created with artificial intelligence.
Meanwhile, Trump has not replaced Leavitt. The White House brought in 24-year-old Beni Rae Harmony as an assistant press secretary, calling her a “trusted voice for the MAGA movement,” Newsweek reported.
Harmony previously worked as a correspondent for “Real America’s Voice” and held political communications positions with Turning Point USA and Republican lawmakers Paul Gosar and Matt Gaetz. Her arrival comes as Trump’s relationship with the press remains tense.
For Leavitt, however, the next chapter is already taking shape — and it now places her inside the very network her former boss has spent days attacking.
