What To Know About Fox News' Harold Ford Jr.

He was voted one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" in 2001, but that's just one (albeit fantastic) footnote in the book of Harold Ford Jr.'s life. Growing up, he was exposed to public life at an early age, thanks of his congressman father, the senior Harold to his junior. Ford himself has been a politician, a professor, a financier, a television host, a husband, and a father.

Most people recognize him from his regular appearances on Fox News, most frequently as one of the rotating co-hosts on "The Five," where his smart ties and suits offer a stark contrast to fellow host Dana Perino, whose tacky fashion sense once had even Kimberly Guilfoyle in shock. He's been with the network off and on for over a decade, and at one point, even caught the attention of the Republican party, despite being a life-long Democrat. In 2016, he was considered to be in the running for Secretary of Transportation in Donald Trump's first presidential cabinet, which would have made him one of many Fox news staffers that have joined a Trump administration (the position eventually went to Elaine Chao, Mitch McConnell's wife). 

Of course, there's more to know about the man behind the suit, whom former president Bill Clinton described as the, "walking, living embodiment of where America ought to go in the 21st century." Ford, who turned 55 in 2025, has a whole life that goes beyond sharing a People magazine article with Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Once considered one of the most eligible bachelors in politics, Harold Ford Jr. gave up his single days when he met Emily Threlkeld at a wedding. After growing up in Florida and graduating from the University of Miami, Threlkeld moved to New York City and worked in fashion, and as a publicist. (She once dressed Jada Pinkett Smith for the Oscars.) In 2007, Ford whisked her away to Paris and proposed. The two were married in a huge wedding in Miami on April 26, 2008, complete with 26 attendants, and 300 friends and family members watching. 

After settling in Manhattan, the Fords waited several years before starting a family. Their first child, Georgia Walker Ford, was born on December 21, 2013. The first grandchild on the Ford's side, she was named in honor of her great-great-grandmother, also named Georgia. The Walker name came from Threlkeld's side of the family, the maiden name of Emily's own mother.

Two years later, the Harold Eugene Ford club inducted a new member when the couple added a son to their family. Harold the Third was born on May 17, 2015, named after both his father and his grandfather. In 2025, Ford Jr. honored Father's Day by celebrating his offspring on X, writing, "Thank you to my kids for giving me the best job...being their dad."

Harold Ford Jr. is no stranger to politics. His father, Harold Ford Sr., was the first African-American from Tennessee to serve in the U.S. Congress, a job he did from 1975-1997, acting as a Democratic member of the House of Representatives. When Ford Sr. retired, Ford Jr. stepped into his father's shoes, running for his own seat at the age of 26. He won, and continued to win. For ten years, from 1997 to 2007, Ford Jr. represented the ninth district in Tennessee (including the state's largest city, Memphis), serving on several different house and senate committees. 

In 2006, he decided to change things up and threw his hat into the ring to become a senator instead of reprentative. In a close race, Ford was defeated by Bob Corker, in a vote that was 48% for Ford, and 51% for his opponent. 

After his loss, Ford settled into corporate finance before considering one more stab at a political career. In 2010, he thought to enter the race for a senate seat for the state of New York. However, given that the current senator at the time was also Democratic, and that a heated election could wind up favoring the other political party, he decided not to run. "I refuse to do anything that would help Republicans win a Senate seat in New York, and give the Senate majority to the Republicans," he told The New York Times.

After losing the senate race in 2006, Harold Ford Jr. switched his career focus, pursuing a career in finance. In 2007, he became the vice chairman and senior policy advisor for Merrill Lynch, splitting his time between offices in both Tennessee and New York, where his soon-to-be-wife was located. He jumped to Morgan Stanley in 2011 to serve as their Managing Director. 

At the same time, with his intimate knowledge of politics and the government, Ford was engaged by multiple universities to share his knowledge. In 2007, he became a visiting professor at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, teaching a course titled "Foundations of American Political Leadership." He also returned to the place he earned a law degree, the University of Michigan, to bequeath his knowledge to students on public policy, and taught at University of Austin-Texas. When he was firmly planted in New York, New York University snapped him up, as well. 

He was also a regular political contributor on television, but continued to hold a day job. In 2020, he accepted a position with PNC Bank, and in 2023, he was named as the New York regional president of the financial institution.

In December 2017, Harold Ford Jr.'s name was splashed all over the news — and not in a good way. Headline after headline announced he had been fired from his job at Morgan Stanley. A woman he had interacted with in 2014 as part of his job accused him of sexual misconduct, alleging that he had grabbed her. Coming just months after Harvey Weinstein's dismissal from Hollywood and ban from the Oscars for the same thing (and worse), the financial company reacted swiftly, telling HuffPost, "He has been terminated for conduct inconsistent with our values and in violation of our policies." After the news broke, Ford lost another job when MSNBC pulled him off the air as they investigated.

Ford immediately denied the allegations, posting to X, "This simply did not happen." He also shared with HuffPost that he respected the actions of women calling out mistreatment, but asserted, "False claims like this undermine the real silence breakers." Ford revealed he would be taking legal action against Morgan Stanley for terminating him under the false accusations.

Weeks later, in January 2018, Ford was vindicated when Morgan Stanley made an official statement that he had not been fired because of sexual misconduct. (It was reported that an abused expense account, among other things, was to blame.) The former politician took to social media once again to share his thoughts on the incident. "My family and I only wish for the sake of my good name and reputation that they had admitted the truth 5 weeks ago," he wrote on X, and followed it up with another Tweet. "The damage to my family has been extraordinary." As promised, Ford did go after his former employer, and reached an undisclosed settlement. 

With his political background and good looks (50 Most Beautiful!), Harold Ford Jr. was a natural fit for television. From 2007 to 2017, he was a paid contributor for NBC and MSNBC, regularly appearing on programs like "Morning Joe." He was also called to share his opinions on programs like "Meet the Press," "Real Time with Bill Maher," and "America Reports," and was a well-known guest on multiple Fox News shows. 

In 2021, Fox News hired him as a regular paid contributor. The network leans to the right with a Republican view, while Ford served his time in congress as a Democrat. It was a contrast that Ford welcomed. "I am excited to join the Fox News Media family, and am grateful for the network's commitment to showcasing a diversity of voices and viewpoints," he shared in a Fox press release. 

Since joining the network, he has become a frequent co-shot of "The Five," sat next to Dana Perino to report from both the RNC and DNC in 2024, and regularly pops up on other Fox programs like "Special Report with Bret Baier" and "America's Newsroom." He still considers himself a Democrat, and in July 2025, he professed on X, "We Dems need to spell out ideas and solutions that are positively actionable in people's lives."