The Shady Side Of Fox News' Steve Doocy We Can't Ignore
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"Fox & Friends" co-host Steve Doocy's name is on the tip of tongues everywhere following his bombshell on-air announcement that he was moving to sunny Florida and stepping back from his high-profile hosting gig. Doocy carefully noted that he was not leaving the daily morning show entirely and would still be working three days a week, reporting from the Sunshine State and "other parts of America that don't get network air time." Still, he confessed that he was excited for a slower change of pace. "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 about his exit as a full-time "Fox & Friends" host.
Alas, the tragic truth about Doocy and his professional reputation is that it hasn't been all sunshine like his new home state of Florida. Over the years, he's even earned a reputation for being downright shady. Let's discuss, shall we?
Gretchen Carlson accused Steve Doocy of harassment
It's probably safe to say that Gretchen Carlson is no fan of Steve Doocy. In 2016, she famously filed a lawsuit against Fox News network chief executive Roger Ailes, accusing him of firing her after she refused his sexual advances. But that's not all. In the confines of the lawsuit obtained by CBS News, she also alleged that her former co-host Doocy "had created a hostile work environment by regularly treating her in a sexist and condescending way." According to Carlson, when she complained about Doocy's behavior, Ailes responded by calling her a "man hater" and instructing her to learn how to "get along with the boys."
Although Doocy never publicly reacted to Carlson's allegations, Ailes vehemently refuted them. "This is a retaliatory suit for the network's decision not to renew her contract, which was due to the fact that her disappointingly low ratings were dragging down the afternoon lineup," he penned in a statement.
Don't mess with Steve Doocy's daughters
Make no mistake: what Steve Doocy does have is a particular set of skills that he acquired over a very long career! ("Taken," anyone?) In the confines of his 2025 book "All the President's Money," Congressman James Comer accused Steve and his son, Peter Doocy, of unleashing negative media coverage on Comer after he had a run-in with Steve's daughter, FBI employee Mary Doocy. According to Comer, the hullabaloo stemmed from a redacted document containing information regarding his investigation of the Biden family. "Maybe it's just a coincidence, but her father, 'Fox & Friends' host Steve Doocy, and her brother, Fox White House correspondent Peter Doocy, would soon become my biggest critics on Fox News for the remainder of the investigation," he penned (via The Independent). "And they didn't let up off camera either. Many of the White House videos criticizing me, and many of the legacy media outlets' false narratives citing disparaging comments about me and the investigation, were from the Doocys."
Following Comer's claims, Fox News immediately went on the defensive, with a spokesperson for the channel calling Comer's accusations both "off base and insulting." The spokesperson added, "The first time Steve Doocy and Peter Doocy were even made aware of what took place in the SCIF with James Comer was tonight when they saw this book excerpt which speaks volumes about how scrupulous they are and the high ethical bar their family operates with."
Did Steve Doocy make his son a nepo baby?
Speaking of his kids, many believe that Steve Doocy is guilty of engaging in some good old-fashioned nepotism — namely when it comes to his son, Peter Doocy, who also happens to work for Fox News as their senior White House correspondent. Fresh out of college, Peter first landed a gig with the conservative news channel in 2009 when his famous on-air father hired him as a general assignment reporter. In January 2021, at the ripe old age of 33, he was promoted to a White House correspondent during the Biden administration. Then, in 2024, Peter landed the role of a lifetime when he was tapped as the senior White House correspondent. Sadly, the untold truth about Peter is that many believe his meteoric rise in media is all because of his famous father.
As for Steve and Peter, they have never shied away from their close relationship or the fact that Steve has always played an integral role in his son's career. "I just know that he is always there to make sure that I have everything that I need and that I am at the best position to do well," Peter told Haute Living in 2018 during a joint interview with his father.
Is Steve Doocy a fair weather friend or just a fair and balanced news host?
Following Steve Doocy's shocking announcement that he was moving to Florida, President Donald J. Trump took time to sing the on-air host's praises. "I just think you're a fantastic guy. You've always treated me fairly — sometimes a little more fairly than other times, but that's okay," the president quipped in a pre-recorded video for Fox News in honor of Doocy.
Over the years, Doocy has enjoyed a rather cozy relationship with the on-again, off-again POTUS — some might even say too cozy. Alas, even Trump and Doocy have had their fair share of differences. Case in point: the time Doocy took Trump to task on-air in 2022 for having classified documents stashed around Mar-A-Lago. But that's not all. In April 2025, he sounded off against the Trump administration over tariffs. "When you look at the big numbers and they look good, just remember that, according to this guy, half of the small businesses — and half of the tariffs are being paid by Americans," Doocy said (via Daily Mail) during a heated debate on an episode of "Fox & Friends." While Trump might have considered the criticism unfriendly and disloyal, others might argue that he was just doing his job.