Laura Ingraham Almost Had A Big Role In Donald Trump's First Administration

Fox News host Laura Ingraham is notorious for making some big on-air blunders, but she might be thanking her lucky stars she missed out on what might have been the biggest one of her entire career. For that, we need to jump back a few years to 2016, when Donald Trump was making the transition from reality-show host to politician. He spent the weeks after his first election putting together his cabinet, and Ingraham's name was being floated as his potential press secretary. It seemed a logical choice; in addition to her interviewing expertise, Ingraham had been openly boosting Trump's campaign on air — a show of loyalty he surely appreciated. Speaking about the possibility on the network, she said (per Politico), "I have known Donald Trump for a long time, and we have been friends for a long time, and I am looking forward to that conversation. It is a great privilege to even be considered."

There was just one problem. Ingraham wanted to do more than just stand behind a podium fielding questions; as she also pointed out during her interview, she has a background in law and in political communications planning, so she hoped to be given more of a say in helping the president develop the policies she would then defend to the press pool. This arrangement apparently didn't meet with Trump's approval, and he went on to name Sean Spicer to the post. The rejection may have stung a bit at the time, but considering what occurred during Trump's first administration, Ingraham may well be seeing it as a blessing in disguise.

When Laura Ingraham expressed interest in joining President Trump's first cabinet, little did she know that Trump would take to heart his famous "Apprentice" one-liner, "You're fired!" In the course of those four years, the divisive politician went through four White House press secretaries. (By contrast, predecessor Barack Obama had a total of three during his entire eight years in office.) Moreover, the departure of those press liaisons wasn't always on the best of terms. Following her tenure, Kayleigh McEnany gave interviews on Fox News suggesting how the president might fare better in the polls for his next go at office. For her trouble, Trump gave McEnany the brutal nickname of "Milktoast" and jeered on Truth Social, "I don't need any advice from RINO Kayleigh McEnany on Fox." 

Instead, Ingraham remained at Fox, which is probably all for the best. She was able to interview Trump in early November 2025 and even put him on the defensive over his claims that affordability isn't an issue anymore. "Why are people saying they're worried about the economy?" she insisted (via CNN), to which the president could only argue that "polls are fake." It's a stance she wouldn't have been able to take had she been named press secretary. Instead, Karoline Leavitt, dressing older than her age in an apparent bid to seem less of an inexperienced millennial, holds that position, and has gotten nothing but praise from the president for her abilities. If Ingraham secretly wishes she were the one scolding reporters and texting them snarky remarks, she hasn't let on.