President Donald Trump extended warm commendations to Steve Doocy of “Fox & Friends” as Doocy transitions to a new role. Trump, in a special message, described Doocy as a “fantastic guy” who has “always treated me fairly,” reflecting a relationship that has seen both camaraderie and tension.
Doocy, aged 68, announced his shift to a “coast-to-coast” hosting position after nearly 30 years with the morning show. He will now appear on the program three days a week, broadcasting from Florida, but also enabling him to report from diverse locations across the United States.
Trump recognized the host’s treatment towards him, adding, “You’ve always treated me fairly — sometimes more fairly than other times, but that’s okay.” This comment alludes to the occasionally strained dynamic between them.
The relationship between Trump and Doocy dates back several years, with Trump frequently appearing on “Fox & Friends” prior to his presidential campaign in 2015. According to a 2019 New Yorker report, Trump once rated Doocy a “12 out of 10” for loyalty.
However, their relationship has faced difficulties recently. In September 2023, Trump criticized Doocy during an interview, noting that although Doocy had been “so nice to me for years,” he had changed. Trump remarked, “I would say over the last year, I don’t know, he just seems to be not nice like he should be,” and even referred to Doocy as “terrible.”
The tension may have arisen from Doocy’s occasional departures from the expected Fox News narrative. In recent years, Doocy has expressed skepticism about Republican talking points, including questioning investigations into Hunter Biden and discussing Trump’s legal issues.
In January 2024, Trump used Truth Social to question, “Whatever happened to that guy???” and later called Doocy an “unwatchable RINO” (Republican in name only), attributing ratings challenges on the show to him.
Despite these tensions, Trump’s message for Doocy’s new role was cordial. Trump expressed that it was an honor to spend time with the group and to watch them alongside the crew in the mornings.
Doocy shared that Trump called him on the morning of his announcement. Doocy mentioned he had recently asked Trump for a quote regarding his first 100 days and information about tariffs. Trump returned the call just moments before Doocy was set to go on air.
Doocy’s role change comes amid heightened political tension. Recently, Doocy expressed concerns about Trump’s trade policies, informing viewers that major Republican donors were “terrified” about the tariffs’ effects on the stock market.
Doocy has been with Fox News since its inception in 1996 and started co-hosting “Fox & Friends” in 1998. He is the longest-serving co-host in network morning television, second only to Al Roker of the “Today” show.
Doocy cited a desire for a more manageable schedule after decades of early wake-ups. “When my kids were growing up, I never had breakfast with them. I was always here, Kathy did everything. But starting tomorrow, I’m going to have breakfast with my grandkids and my children whenever I can,” he stated.
Doocy plans to return to “Fox & Friends” in his new role in ten days. Brian Kilmeade, Ainsley Earhardt, and Lawrence Jones will continue co-hosting from the New York City studios.
