Donald Trump’s announced 2024 bid for the White House means a member of his family will no longer be getting a Fox News paycheck.
The network confirmed Saturday it has parted ways with Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law. Lara Trump, who is married to Trump’s son Eric, became a paid contributor for the conservative-leaning network last year.
“We appreciate Lara’s valuable contributions across Fox News Media programming,” a Fox News Media representative said in a statement.
Lara Trump’s exit is said to be amicable and based solely on company protocol, but it comes after Rupert Murdoch, executive chairman of Fox News parent Fox Corporation, made it clear he does not support the former president’s decision to pursue the White House again. While criticism of Trump on Fox News has been muted, the editorial pages of Murdoch’s print outlets the New York Post and the Wall Street Journal have been harsh in their assessments.
Former White House officials and political operatives are usually welcomed as contributors at cable networks. But Fox News has made it a rule to not employ people running for office, or directly connected to active campaigns.
As a Trump family member who is a surrogate for the former president, Fox News executives decided Lara Trump falls into that category. She has not appeared on the network since the week of Trump’s Nov. 15 announcement that he is running for president for a third time.
Last year, Fox News ended a contributor deal with former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders once she announced her intention to run for governor in Arkansas. She was elected in November.
During her appearances on Fox News, Lara Trump could be counted on to provide a robust defense of her father-in-law, as investigations of his actions during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol and his handling of classified documents after leaving office keep him in the news.
Lara Trump could still appear on Fox News as a guest without pay. Paid contributor deals typically give a network news operations exclusive access to an expert or commentator.
Current Trump White House alums on the Fox News roster include former press director Kaleigh McEnany, now a co-host of the daytime show “Outnumbered;” and Kellyanne Conway, a political adviser, who is a contributor.
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