If you turned on your TV back in March 2022, you might’ve done a double-take. Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott announced that the network was hiring Caitlyn Jenner as an on-air contributor. Yeah, that Caitlyn Jenner. The Olympic legend who dominated the 1976 Montreal decathlon. The person who spent years as the patriarch of the Kardashian-Jenner reality TV machine.
Honestly, the move sent shockwaves through both the media and political landscapes. Why? Because Jenner is a self-described "traditionalist" and a lifelong Republican who also happens to be the most famous transgender woman in the world. It’s a combination that makes some people on the left feel betrayed and some on the right feel, well, a little confused. But after several years of seeing Caitlyn Jenner on Fox News, it’s clear she isn't there to play a character. She’s there to stake a claim in the conservative movement.
Why Fox News Wanted a Kardashian-Jenner
Most people think of Fox News as a strictly "red meat" kind of place. And sure, they have their base. But hiring Jenner wasn't just a random PR stunt. It was a calculated move to broaden the conversation—or at least change the vibe. Suzanne Scott called her a "trailblazer." Jenner herself said she was "humbled" to speak directly to millions of viewers.
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Think about the numbers. Fox News reaches roughly 200 million people a month. That is a massive platform for someone who wants to preach "common sense" conservatism while living an authentically trans life. She didn't debut on a soft morning show either; she went straight to Hannity at 9 PM. That’s the heart of the network’s prime-time lineup.
Since then, she’s become a regular fixture. You’ll see her on Fox News @ Night or The Story, often weighing in on everything from California's budget "scams" to international crises. Just last year, in June 2025, she was actually reporting from Tel Aviv during a wave of Iranian missile strikes. She was literally posting photos from a bomb shelter while drinking wine, telling her followers about the "third wave of attack." It was a surreal moment that reminded everyone she’s not just talking about politics; she’s living it.
The Friction of Being a Trans Conservative
You’ve probably seen the headlines. Jenner gets a lot of heat from the LGBTQ+ community. Specifically, her stance on trans athletes in women’s sports has made her a polarizing figure. She’s gone on record multiple times—on Fox and elsewhere—stating that "biological boys" shouldn't be competing against cisgender women.
Basically, she views it as a matter of fairness. To her, it’s not transphobic; it’s "common sense." She famously criticized the NCAA’s policy during the Lia Thomas controversy, arguing that Thomas wasn't the "rightful winner."
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- Her Argument: Protecting the integrity of women's sports is paramount.
- The Counter-Argument: Many activists argue her position undermines the very rights of the community she belongs to.
- The Result: She exists in this weird middle ground where she’s too conservative for Hollywood and too "progressive" (socially speaking) for the far-right fringe.
It's a tough spot. Even her daughter Kendall Jenner admitted on a 2025 episode of The Kardashians that they have "completely different views." When Kris Jenner called Caitlyn to invite her to a family dinner last year, Caitlyn’s response was peak Caitlyn: "I’m eating dinner and watching Fox News."
Real Expertise and the "Common Sense" Brand
Is she actually an expert? Well, she’s an expert on being Caitlyn. But she also brings a specific kind of "California Republican" insight that is rarer than you'd think. She ran for Governor in the 2021 recall election. She didn't win—she only got about 1% of the vote—but she learned the machinery of politics.
When she talks about California's leadership being a "scam," she’s speaking as a resident of Malibu for nearly five decades. She’s seen the state change. She’s seen the wildfires (which she bashed the state's response to on The Story in January).
She also doesn't shy away from heavy news. In August 2025, she appeared on Fox News @ Night and was visibly shaken, breaking down in tears while remembering her close friend and manager, Sophia Hutchins, who died in a tragic ATV accident. It was a rare, raw moment on a network often known for its polished, confrontational style. It showed a human side of the "contributor" role that viewers rarely get to see.
What This Means for the Future of Media
Having Caitlyn Jenner on Fox News is a long-term experiment. Does it change the minds of the viewers? Maybe not overnight. But visibility matters. As one commentator for The Independent pointed out, for many Fox viewers, Jenner might be the only trans person they actually "listen" to.
By simply existing on the screen, being called "Caitlyn," and being gendered correctly by hosts like Sean Hannity, she is forcing a segment of the population to humanize a group they might otherwise dismiss. It’s a "net win" for visibility, even if her specific political takes drive some people crazy.
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Actionable Insights for Following the Story
If you’re trying to keep up with Jenner’s role or understand the impact she’s having, don't just look at the clips that go viral on X (formerly Twitter). Those are usually the most inflammatory. To get the full picture:
- Watch the Full Segments: Her analysis on Fox News @ Night is often more nuanced than a 30-second soundbite about "wokeness."
- Check the Context: Understand that her views on sports are rooted in her own history as an Olympic gold medalist. She approaches the topic from the perspective of an elite athlete first, and a politician second.
- Monitor the Social Shifts: Pay attention to how the "mainstream" Fox hosts interact with her. The normalization of her presence is arguably more significant than any single point she makes about the budget.
Caitlyn Jenner isn't going anywhere. She’s leaned into her role as a conservative influencer, recently applauding what she calls "common sense" returning to the White House after meeting with Donald Trump and Elon Musk at Mar-a-Lago. She’s positioned herself as a bridge between the old-school GOP and a new, more complicated era of identity politics.
Whether you agree with her or not, her presence on the most-watched news network in America is a massive shift in the cultural landscape. It’s messy, it’s controversial, and it’s definitely not boring.
To stay updated on her latest commentary, you can follow the official Fox News contributor page or track her frequent appearances on prime-time segments where she continues to advocate for her brand of "economically conservative, socially authentic" politics.