Fox News pipeline to Trump administration keeps growing

• Trump has had a love-hate relationship with Fox News, but still made nearly 20 appearances on the network from August-November.

Between the lines: As in his first term, Trump appears to be treating hiring for top government posts like a casting call. Sources told Axios he's weighed in on job candidates' TV appearances to gauge how effective they would be at conveying his MAGA message.

What they're saying: When asked late last year why he nominated so many affiliated to Fox News, then-Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said that he was elected with "a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail — and his Cabinet picks reflect his priority to put America First."

• She added that Trump will "continue to appoint highly-qualified men and women who have the talent, experience, and necessary skill sets to Make America Great Again."

Here's a look at his administration picks with Fox News affiliations.

Jeanine Pirro

Fox News host Jeanine Pirro was tapped by Trump to serve as interim U.S. attorney for D.C. in May.

• Pirro, a longtime Trump ally, has been a part of the network for almost two decades and was named a co-host of the "The Five" in 2022. She is a former judge and prosecutor.

Kimberly Guilfoyle

Former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle was selected by Trump to serve as U.S. ambassador to Greece.

• She worked at Fox News from 2006 to 2018, co-hosting "The Five" from 2011 to 2018, until her abrupt departure.

Sean Duffy

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy used to be a Fox News contributor. The former Wisconsin congressman co-hosted "The Bottom Line" on Fox Business prior to Trump nominating him.

• Duffy is a former reality star, having appeared on MTV's "The Real World: Boston" and other spinoffs.
• He's married to fellow Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy, whom he met on "Road Rules: All Stars," which followed alumni of "The Real World."

Pete Hegseth

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was a co-host on FOX & Friends Weekend and has appeared on multiple FOX Nation series since joining as a contributor in 2014.

• Since the decorated U.S. Army veteran was tapped to lead the Pentagon, he has faced allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement and excessive drinking.

Monica Crowley

Monica Crowley is Trump's pick to serve as "Ambassador, Assistant Secretary of State, and Chief of Protocol," a key public relations role in the State Department.

• The conservative political commentator was a Fox News contributor on and off for nearly two decades.
• She was yet to be confirmed as of early May.

Mike Huckabee

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Israel following Trump's nomination.

• Huckabee hosted a weekly show on Fox for about seven years and stepped down before an unsuccessful presidential bid. He later resumed his show on a Christian cable network.

Tulsi Gabbard

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawai'i), an Iraq War veteran, was picked by Trump and confirmed as director of National Intelligence.

• Gabbard joined Fox News as a paid contributor in 2022 after leaving the Democratic Party.
• She's had many backers in pro-Trump media, including Tucker Carlson, who frequently interviewed her when he was a Fox News host.

Tom Homan

Tom Homan, the former acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Trump's first administration, returned in his second administration as "border czar."

• He joined Fox as a contributor in August 2018 after retiring from ICE and was a contributor at the network until earlier this year.

Sebastian Gorka

Former Trump administration aide Sebastian Gorka was picked to serve as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism.

• The conservative radio host and former Breitbart staffer with hard-right views on Islam was known for his fiery TV appearances defending Trump while in the White House.
• He left the White House in 2017 and became the first former Trump administration official to join Fox News. He was a contributor until 2019 and later became a Newsmax host.

Keith Kellogg

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg is Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia.

• He joined Fox as a contributor after serving as national security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence. He was a regular on the network, where he provided national security and military strategy analysis.

Marty Makary

Johns Hopkins professor Marty Makary leads the Food and Drug Administration.

• The surgeon joined Fox News as a contributor in 2019. Makary often criticized public health officials on COVID and mask mandates, per Media Matters.

Janette Nesheiwat

Janette Nesheiwat was Trump's original pick for surgeon general though he withdrew the nomination in May. She's a medical director at CityMD, a group of urgent care centers in New York

• Nesheiwat joined Fox News as contributor during the onset of the pandemic. She cautioned against vaccinations.

Dan Bongino

Trump picked Dan Bongino to serve as deputy FBI director in February.

• The controversial MAGA podcast star and former Fox News host was banned from YouTube in 2022 for violating its COVID-19 misinformation policy.
• Years prior, during Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation battle, he said his "entire life right now is about owning the libs."

Go deeper: Trump administration 2.0: Tracking his Cabinet, White House picks

Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect new developments.