Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's move to Fox News drew mockery on Monday from critics who pointed to her continued presence inside President Trump's political and media orbit, just two months after she left the administration saying she wanted to spend time with her family.

Fox News has confirmed that Leavitt, 29, will join the network as an on-air contributor beginning Nov. 1, appearing on both its news and opinion programming. Suzanne Scott, CEO of Fox News Media, said the experience Leavitt gained in the White House and on the campaign trail gives her a "distinct understanding of today's political landscape."

The announcement quickly drew reactions from critics. Amy Siskind, a political activist and longtime Trump critic who authored The List: A Week-by-Week Reckoning of Trump's First Year, noted the news on X, writing that "Karoline Leavitt is going to work at Fox News" and adding that "the cycle of MAGA life and reinforcement loop continues."

The move also revived doubts about Leavitt's stated reason for leaving the White House in August. At the time, she said that following the birth of her daughter, she did not believe it was possible to give her two young children what they needed while also devoting the time and energy required of a press secretary. President Trump announced that Leavitt was resigning to spend more time with her children and family, adding that she would remain one of his top external advisers.

A self-styled "MAGA patriot" on X invoked those statements after Monday's announcement, claiming Leavitt had abandoned the reason she had given for her departure. "Sorry folks, no more integrity left here, someone sold out," the user wrote, adding, "pray for her children and her family."

Progressive commentator Jamie Bonkiewicz leveled similar criticism on X, writing, "I guess Karoline Leavitt had enough of being a stay-at-home mom and taking care of her grandpa husband."

The prospect of Leavitt joining Fox had already been the subject of jokes at the network. The day after she announced her exit from the White House, Greg Gutfeld quipped on The Five in August: "There is a concern that she will join Fox, which would then leave us with three women" — a reference to Fox personalities Dana Perino and Kayleigh McEnany, both of whom had served as White House press secretaries. The quip pointed to an established pattern at the network: Perino and McEnany had each moved from the White House briefing room to on-air roles at Fox. Co-host Emily Compagno later joked that Gutfeld was trying to get her off the show "to make room for Karoline."

Leavitt has stayed closely linked to Trump since leaving office. She returned to MAGA Inc., the super PAC that supported Trump and where she had previously worked, and has continued to appear frequently on Fox. The new contributor position formalizes those appearances, pairing her network work with the outside-adviser role Trump said she would continue to hold when she resigned. She said she intends to bring to her new position the "unique perspective and candor" gained during her time in the Trump administration.