Fox Hires Former Trump Adviser Kudlow for New Business Show

(Bloomberg) -- Fox Corp. hired Larry Kudlow, the former director of the U.S. National Economic Council, to host a new show on its business network, adding to the long list of ties between the media company and the administration of former President Donald Trump.

Kudlow will start on Feb. 8, providing commentary on Fox News outlets, the company said Tuesday. He’ll also host a weekday show on the Fox Business channel

“Larry’s vast experience in policy making coupled with his intuitive on-air presence will add depth and insight to our business analysis programming,” said Suzanne Scott, chief executive officer of Fox News.

Kudlow, 73, who held top economic posts on Wall Street and was a Reagan administration appointee, has also had a long career as a host on Comcast Corp.’s CNBC business network.

Fox News has come under fire from journalism advocacy groups and others for its close ties to the Trump administration. Hope Hicks, the spokeswoman for Trump’s 2016 campaign, later ran corporate communications at Fox Corp., then returned as a White House counselor. The long list of Fox News contributors who later joined the White House includes John Bolton, a former national security adviser to the president.

The administration of President Joe Biden is also stocking up on political insiders with TV experience. New Secretary of State Antony Blinken served as an analyst for CNN, as did Jen Psaki, the president’s new press secretary. Barbara McQuade, a legal analyst on MSNBC, and Richard Stengel, an NBC political contributor and former Time editor in chief, were part of the Biden transition team.

Fox News also held discussions after the election for an on-air role for Kayleigh McEnany, Trump’s last press secretary before he left office.

The network, the most-watched cable channel last year, paused its talks with McEnany but is still open to hiring her, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Fox News said she isn’t currently an employee or contributor. McEnany, 32, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington, a government watchdog group, reported Tuesday that McEnany’s financial-disclosure form showed an upcoming relationship with the network. The form says she expected to start work in January.

Early in her career, McEnany worked for Fox News as a production assistant, and she still participates in the company’s retirement plan due to that engagement. She later worked as a conservative commentator at AT&T Inc.’s CNN.

Another former Trump press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, announced this week she is running for governor of Arkansas.

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