Trump Picks Fox’s Tammy Bruce As State Spokesperson

President-elect Donald Trump chose Tammy Bruce, a longtime Fox News contributor, for State Department spokesperson.

The pick continues Trump’s trend of turning to the conservative cable network for positions in his next administration, including former Fox News host Pete Hegseth for the chief Pentagon job.

The department spokesperson does not require Senate confirmation, but it’s nonetheless one of U.S. diplomacy’s most publicly visible positions. Foreign governments closely watch the spokesperson‘s regular televised briefings to track changes in U.S. policy. During the first Trump administration, there were long stretches in which the spokesperson did not hold briefings, frustrating foreign capitals as well as journalists.

Bruce’s online bios describe her as a former liberal activist who worked on Democratic campaigns before turning solidly to the right. The Los Angeles native has written a number of books, including the recent “Fear Itself: Exposing the Left’s Mind-Killing Agenda.”

In his late Friday announcement on social media, Trump described Bruce as “a highly respected political analyst who understood the power and importance of ‘MAGA’ early on.”

“As one of the longest serving News Contributors, Tammy has brought TRUTH to the American People for over two decades. I know she will bring that same strength of conviction and fearless spirit to her new position as State Department Spokesperson,” Trump wrote.

Bruce is one of several Fox News-affiliated figures that Trump has turned to as he’s sought to fill his incoming administration. His first term State Department spokespersons Heather Nauert and Morgan Ortagus also had connections to the conservative network.

Bruce’s role at the network has ended now that she’s joining the Trump administration. “Tammy Bruce has been an extremely valued contributor at FOX News Media for nearly 20 years and we wish her all the best in her new role,” the network said in a statement.