While major broadcast and cable news outlets were busy covering President Donald Trump’s inauguration, Fox News quietly hired Brexit instigator and former British politician Nigel Farage. Considering the apparently warm relationship that bloomed between the two late into Trump’s campaign, Farage’s hire by the network Rupert Murdoch reportedly wants to turn into a bastion of pro-Trump coverage isn’t all that surprising.
In an official statement tweeted out by Politico’s Alex Weprin, Fox News declared the former United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) leader will serve as an on-air contributor for both the Fox News Channel and the Fox Business Network. What’s more, Farage’s new role will give him plenty of airtime during daytime and prime-time programming on both cable news channels.
OMG: Former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage has joined Fox News Channel as a contributor. pic.twitter.com/XvQMApmt1U
— Alex Weprin (@alexweprin) January 20, 2017
Farage enraged Britons with his exit from the UKIP and British politics following the referendum. He also irritated several British politicians, including Prime Minister Theresa May, when he traveled stateside to meet with then President-elect Trump before any elected officials representing the United Kingdom in an official capacity would or could. Whether or not any of this had an affect on Farage’s choosing to insert himself more into American politics and political commentary remains to be seen, though the timing is convenient.
Then again, Fox News has endured a whirlwind of change since star anchor Megyn Kelly finally decided to leave the network for a massive new deal with NBC News. Since then, the conservative-leaning channel moved Tucker Carlson into Kelly’s old time slot and re-hired controversial pundit Bob Beckel. They also quietly settled a lawsuit alleging sexual assault against Bill O’Reilly and a producer.