Britt McHenry, a former ESPN reporter, has officially joined the Trump administration as a press advisor to the US Department of State. The 40-year-old confirmed her appointment on Wednesday, sharing an image of herself in the White House Press Briefing Room.
"It is true," McHenry wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "I am honored to serve as a newly appointed press advisor to the State Department, our country’s highest diplomatic institution. Proud to serve for and work alongside some truly incredible people."
In a LinkedIn post, McHenry expressed gratitude for the opportunity, stating, "For 17 years, I have worked on camera covering the news. Now, I get to take that experience and apply it to our country’s highest diplomatic agency."
She added that as a fellow Floridian, she has admired Secretary of State Marco Rubio's career and looks forward to serving his team and the nation. McHenry's appointment marks a new chapter following a career marked by workplace controversies and legal disputes.
McHenry worked as a Washington D.C. correspondent for ESPN for three years before her departure in 2017 amid company-wide layoffs. During her tenure, she was suspended in 2015 after an incident where footage showed her verbally confronting a towing company clerk, an event for which she later apologized.
Following her time at ESPN, McHenry pursued right-wing political commentary, appearing on outlets such as Fox News Media and Fox 5 D.C. In 2019, she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News and co-host George "Tyrus" Murdoch, alleging sexually explicit text messages and retaliation from the network after she reported the harassment. McHenry claimed in the suit that she suffered "humiliation, emotional anguish, derailment of her career and significant loss of economic opportunities" after raising concerns about Murdoch.
The lawsuit stated that in 2018, Murdoch sent McHenry sexually explicit text messages over several months while they worked on their show "Un-PC." The suit also named Fox Nation executive Jennifer Rauchet, alleging Rauchet told McHenry she was "replaceable" after the complaint. Murdoch denied the allegations.
The parties reached a confidential settlement, and the lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed by both sides in 2021. At the time, McHenry stated she was "proud to have stood up for my rights and hope that I have empowered other women to do the same." Fox News Media expressed pleasure in resolving the matter without further litigation, and Murdoch's attorney stated he was pleased the claims against his client would be dismissed with prejudice.
