Fox News Hires Slew Of GOP Operatives, Trump Staffers — And Zero Journalists

Since the start of President Joe Biden’s term, Fox News has hired at least nine editors who previously worked for former President Donald Trump's administration, Republican campaign offices, or Republican politicians. Many of those editors now cover politics for FoxNews.com.

Fox's Republican hiring spree has come as the network has further cast aside its so-called “news” division in favor of right-wing opinion and Republican-friendly “reporting.” (The division between Fox News’ “opinion” and “news” division has always been a sham.)

Media Matters previously documented that Fox News has also hired numerous Trump administration veterans for on-air and executive roles, including as hosts, contributors, and senior vice presidents. The Trump administration, in turn, hired at least 20 former Fox employees.

Many of the network’s Republican editor hires have been for its digital operation. The Daily Beast reported in December 2020 that “close observers of Fox News’ digital properties note that the main site has skewed even further to the right under” the leadership of former Hannity producer Porter Berry and that FoxNews.com “has leaned more into aggregation of conservative culture-war stories and straight write-ups of commentary delivered on opinion shows like Tucker Carlson Tonight and Hannity. At the same time, the site has been called out for burying or wildly spinning news that is unflattering or negative for Trump.”

The publication added that “Berry’s deputy, Stefanie Wheeler Choi, is a fellow former staffer on The Five who followed him over to the digital side as a managing editor and executive producer. The elevation of Choi, who is seen as Berry’s right-hand person, on the digital news side has apparently rankled other staffers as she had no previous digital experience.” Choi worked as a communications director for Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) when she was in the House of Representatives.

The following is a list of nine Fox News editors who previously worked for the Trump administration, Republican campaign offices, or Republican politicians. All of them started working as editors for Fox News during the Biden administration. In many instances, these editors also write articles about politics for FoxNews.com.

Cameron Cawthorne. Fox News states that “Cawthorne is a Fox News Digital editor.” He was a staffer for the Republican National Committee during the 2020 campaign. Cawthorne regularly writes articles about politics for FoxNews.com.

Brandon Gillespie. Fox News states that “Gillespie is an associate editor at Fox News.” He worked as a staffer for the Republican National Committee during the 2020 campaign. Gillespie regularly writes articles about politics for FoxNews.com.

Bailee Hill. Fox News states that “Hill is an associate editor with Fox News Digital.” She previously worked for the Georgia Republican Party, including as the “Strategic Initiatives Directory for Trump Victory Georgia” in 2020. Hill regularly writes articles about politics for FoxNews.com.

Kelsey Koberg. Fox News states that “Koberg is an Editor with Fox News Digital.” During the Trump administration, she worked as a press secretary for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. She also worked for the Idaho Republican Party during the 2016 election and has held other Republican positions. Koberg regularly writes articles about politics for FoxNews.com.

Andrew Kugle. Fox News states that “Kugle is an editor for Fox News Digital.” He previously worked as a press secretary for Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN). Kugle regularly writes articles about politics for FoxNews.com.

Kerri Kupec. Fox News states that Kupec is the “Washington editor” for the network. Fox News added that “she is the former director of public affairs and counselor to Attorney General William Barr where she served as chief spokesperson for the Department of Justice. She was also a member of the Presidential Transition Team in 2016 and assisted the Office of White House Counsel’s U.S. Supreme Court confirmation team in 2018.”

Kelly Laco. Fox News states that “Laco is a politics editor for Fox News Digital.” She previously worked as a senior communications staffer for the Republican Attorneys General Association during the 2020 campaign and the Trump Department of Justice. Laco worked for the Republican Attorneys General Association when the organization was involved in promoting the January 6 rally in Washington, D.C., that led to the insurrection at the Capitol. She regularly writes articles for FoxNews.com and has written about the January 6 select committee and Biden's Department of Justice.

Bryan Preston. Preston is a senior editor for Fox News. He worked as the chief of staff to Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton (R) and as the communications director for the Republican Party of Texas.

David Trulio. Trulio is the managing editor and head of strategy for Fox News Digital. During the Trump administration, he worked as a “Counselor to the Chairman and Senior Vice President for [the Export-Import Bank of the United States’] new Program on China and Transformational Exports” and also as a “Senior Advisor and Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.”

Reprinted with permission from Media Matters