The Truth Behind Steve Doocy's Exit As Full-Time Fox & Friends Host

There wasn't a dry eye in the Fox News studio on May 1 as Steve Doocy announced he's stepping down as the affable "Fox & Friends" co-host, whom millions watch each morning. However, Doocy noted there'd be a lot more tears if he were actually retiring. Instead, the anchor is becoming what he calls a "coast-to-coast host" for the show, which will free up a chunk of his schedule for warranted family time with his wife and adult children.

Doocy has been a mainstay of the flagship morning show since its 1998 inception. For nearly 30 years, he has woken up at 3:30 a.m. to sit on the iconic curved sofa with his fellow hosts, who are currently Ainsley Earhardt, Brian Kilmeade, and Lawrence Jones. But the truth is Doocy thinks it's time to sleep in a little. "It is a great job, but the hours suck," Doocy said on "Fox & Friends." "After decades of getting up at 3:30 and driving into New York City in the dark, today is the last day I will host this show from the couch," he revealed, noting his new schedule has him working only three days every week from Florida. He will be the go-to for stories that need coverage in areas that normally don't get much airtime from Fox News. "I'll be going from the Carolinas to the Keys, from Middle America to Mar-A-Lago," he said.

With a wavering voice, Steve Doocy shared who he'll miss the most around the studio — a list that included the production crew, security staff, and his hair and makeup team. Of course, it's a sad day for the journalist, who has spent nearly his entire career at the increasingly conservative network. But he's not done, which he tried to make very clear as warm messages came flooding in after his announcement. One even came from Donald Trump.

The Republican president congratulated Doocy on his new role in a surprise video shared on the morning news segment where Trump praised him for being a "stellar" part of the Fox News Channel. "I just think you're a fantastic guy," said Trump. "You've always treated me fairly — sometimes more fairly than other times, but that's okay." Doocy, who has been an unexpected voice of reason in Trump's era of ultra-radical right-wingism, was never afraid to question the politician, who is the network's No. 1 fan. He even once got under Trump's skin; he called Doocy "not nice" during a 2023 interview with The National Pulse. Still, Trump wished him luck this morning and gave credit to Doocy's son, Fox News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy. "You are a very, very good man, and your son is going to represent you well," Trump added, as Doocy stifled a few tears.