Nigel Farage, the former leader of the UK’s Independence Party who led the charge for Britain to leave the European Union and became a vocal supporter of Donald Trump’s US presidential bid, will join Fox News as a paid contributor.
Farage will “offer political analysis” on both Fox News and Fox Business Network, the company said in a press release. Fox owner Rupert Murdoch, who has reportedly forged a close relationship with Trump in recent months, also supported the Brexit movement.
Trump repeatedly called himself “Mr. Brexit” throughout his campaign. Four days after he won the US presidential election, Farage visited him at Trump Tower in Manhattan, posing for a photo in front of a large golden doorway. On a radio show that same week, Farage jokingly asked Trump not to grope UK prime minister Theresa May—a reference to the leaked NBC tape that showed the now-president bragging about sexual assault.
Farage joins a number of conservative politicians who already contribute to Murdoch’s cable news channel. Nearly all of them, however, are American. Last month, Farage said he wanted to act as the “bridge” between Trump’s administration and the UK. Working for the most-watched American cable news network among the president’s supporters will likely help in this regard.
Murdoch, meanwhile, is making clear the direction he wants to take his channel after its former chairman and CEO, Roger Ailes, was ousted from the company following allegations he sexually harassed female colleagues. After his exit, Murdoch had an opportunity to shift Fox more toward the middle. Instead, he’s doubling down on the channel’s reputation for cozying up to Republican power.
By aligning himself with Trump, hiring people like Farage, and promoting host Tucker Carlson to Megyn Kelly’s old spot (a frequent thorn in Trump’s side, Kelly recently defected to NBC), Murdoch looks to be turning the network into a media arm of the Trump administration. Maybe Trump is getting his TV network after all.