Former Trump press secretary Kayleigh McEnany joins Fox News

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Kayleigh McEnany, formerly Donald Trump’s White House press secretary, will officially join Fox News.

The announcement came during an on-air interview with Fox News – Ms McEnany’s first since the end of the Trump administration – when host Harris Faulkner welcomed her to the network.

“It is my distinct pleasure to welcome Kayleigh McEnany to the Fox family,” Ms Faulkner said. “We will be seeing much more of her.”

The news comes after weeks of speculation about the possibility of Ms McEnany joining the network, and what role she might take.

A Fox spokesperson confirmed to The Independent that she will be an on-air commentator.

Ms McEnany’s financial disclosure form when she left the White House said she had reached an agreement with the company in January 2021.

She appeared on the network more than 20 times after Mr Trump lost the 2020 election.

A former CNN contributor, Ms McEnany was a spokesperson for the Trump re-election campaign until last spring when she was elevated to White House press secretary following the exit of Stephanie Grisham.

Ms Grisham was notable for not holding a single formal press briefing in her 281 days on the job. She succeeded Sarah Huckabee Sanders who held the role for just under two years and is now running to be governor of Arkansas – though she too was briefly at Fox.

Mr Trump’s first press secretary was Sean Spicer, who now hosts a talk show on Newsmax.

When Ms McEnany took on the press secretary role, she told reporters: “I will never lie to you.” This proclamation was the subject of much criticism as she defended the president’s false statements and unfounded claims of voter fraud.

Other Trump administration officials that made the jump over to Fox include former economic director Larry Kudlow, who now hosts a show on Fox Business, and counsellor to the president Hope Hicks who was chief communications officer for Fox Corp in between stints at the White House.

At Tuesday’s White House press briefing, current press secretary Jen Psaki was asked if she wished Ms McEnany the best, and if she would appear on a show with her.

Ms Psaki replied that she would be willing to appear on-air with Ms McEnany and said she had done so in the past at CNN, recalling a friendly rapport in the green room.

“I certainly wish her the best in her future endeavors.”