President Donald Trump extended warm commendations to Steve Doocy, a departing co-host of “Fox & Friends,” acknowledging a multifaceted relationship marked by both rapport and friction over time. Trump, in a special message for Doocy’s announcement, described him as a “fantastic guy” who has “always treated me fairly.”
This acknowledgment came as Doocy, 68, unveiled his shift to a new “coast-to-coast” hosting role after nearly three decades with the morning show. He will now be featured on the program three days a week, operating from Florida, and reporting from various U.S. locations.
In his recorded message, Trump congratulated Doocy, stating, “I just want to congratulate you on your new and probably enhanced role.” Trump noted Doocy’s prior treatment of him, stating, “You’ve always treated me fairly — sometimes more fairly than other times, but that’s okay.” This comment highlighted the nuanced and occasionally strained interaction between the two.
The relationship between Trump and Doocy extends back many years, with Trump frequently appearing on “Fox & Friends” before his 2015 presidential campaign. Trump once rated Doocy a “12 out of 10” for loyalty, according to a 2019 New Yorker article.
However, their relationship has encountered challenges recently. In September 2023, Trump criticized Doocy in an interview, noting that while Doocy had been “so nice to me for years,” his demeanor seemed to have changed. Trump remarked that Doocy was “terrible” and implied he was negatively impacting the show.
The tension appeared to arise from Doocy’s occasional departure from the expected Fox News narrative. In recent years, Doocy has shown a willingness to challenge Republican talking points, including questioning investigations into Hunter Biden and addressing 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 him to ratings problems on the show.
Despite these past frictions, Trump’s congratulatory message for Doocy’s role change maintained a cordial tone. The president expressed that it had truly been an honor to spend so much time with the team and to watch them alongside the entire crew in the mornings.
Doocy revealed that Trump had called him on the morning of his announcement. Doocy explained that he had recently reached out to Trump for a quote about his first 100 days and information regarding tariffs. According to Doocy, Trump returned the call just 20 seconds before going on air.
In his new role, Doocy will report from various locations across the United States, including Florida, where Trump resides at Mar-a-Lago. “I’ll be going from the Carolinas to the Keys. From Middle America to Mar-a-Lago,” Doocy noted during his announcement, dubbing himself “the coast-to-coast host.”
The timing of Doocy’s role change coincides with a period of heightened political tension. Recently, Doocy expressed concern about President Trump’s trade policies, telling viewers that major Republican donors were “terrified” about the impact of tariffs on the stock market.
Doocy has been with Fox News since its founding in 1996 and began co-hosting “Fox & Friends” when the show started in 1998. He is the longest-serving co-host in network morning television, second only to Al Roker of the “Today” show.
In leaving the “curvy couch,” Doocy cited his desire for a more manageable schedule after decades of early mornings. “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 explained.
Brian Kilmeade, Ainsley Earhardt, and Lawrence Jones will continue to co-host from the New York City studios.