Sean Hannity gets candid on Ainsley Earhardt, Trump and his Fox News future
Ralphie Aversa, USA TODAYFri, October 9, 2026 at 5:06 PM UTC
Fox News' Sean Hannity addresses rumors he's married to Ainsley Earhardt, and discusses Trump, Stephen A. Smith and Roger Ailes' firing.
NEW YORK – Sean Hannity holds a unique position in the media landscape. He's the longest running cable news host in television history and the only solo anchor who has been with Fox News Channel from its inception to present. His weeknight TV show "Hannity," viewed by millions, emanates primarily from Florida (as opposed to Fox's midtown Manhattan headquarters).
Then there's his private relationship with fiancé (and Fox News colleague) Ainsley Earhardt, and his very public relationship with President Donald Trump.
Suffice to say, Hannity has plenty to speak about during a wide-ranging conversation with USA TODAY about his career, the 30th anniversary of Fox News and his upcoming wedding to Earhardt.
And right away he debunks a trio of rumors: he and Earhardt are not married yet and have no plans to marry at either the White House or Mar-a-Lago, President Trump's private club in Florida. The couple has a date, but Hannity isn't sharing any more info publicly.
"Does anyone really care?" Hannity, 64, asks. "Maybe I'll rent out Madison Square Garden like Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce."
Hannity insists he's not a celebrity, however, he and his fiancé are public figures by definition. The anchor's proximity to the 47th president only bolsters the curiosity around his life.
"I have two relationships with him," Hannity says of Trump, who, like the TV anchor, was born in New York. "I have a personal relationship, which goes back way before he ever thought about politics … but it does not get in the way of my professional relationship when it's time for an interview. The one thing I think I do differently when I interview him and I get criticized for it, is I let him talk."
Hannity has faced criticism for more than his interview style. In 2018, the news anchor appeared on stage during a Trump rally in Missouri. Fox News issued a statement in the aftermath of Hannity's appearance, saying the network "does not condone any talent participating in campaign events" and characterized it as "an unfortunate distraction."
Hannity is unapologetic of both his relationship to the president and the conservative bias on his show. He insists that he can criticize Trump, although he admits it happens "more privately than publicly." And when it comes to delivering information to an audience, Hannity believes there's one main difference between he and his colleagues in cable TV news.
"I do opinion [segments], but I'm honest about it," he says, also touting the journalism on "Hannity." Michael Desronvil, the lone holdout juror in the Lindsay Clancy trial, recently broke his silence exclusively on the program.
"I'm a conservative," he continues. "I voted for Donald Trump. I'm voting straight-line Republican this fall. And [CNN and MS NOW hosts] claim to be journalists."
Sean Hannity weighs in on Stephen A. Smith, predicts 2028 Republican primary results
Between his nationally syndicated radio show, cable TV show and podcast, Hannity says he's "more engaged now than I've ever been." Recent guests on his "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" podcast have included former Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and fellow host/podcaster Stephen A. Smith.
Smith, an ESPN broadcaster whose popularity and centrist politics have actually led to questions about whether or not he would consider a presidential run in 2028, attempted yet again to put the notion to bed on Hannity's podcast. Hannity joked that he'd run against Smith if the sportscaster threw his name in the ring.
"[Smith] heard his father saying, 'He's never going to be anything, he'll never be successful,'" Hannity says, noting that Smith was held back in the third and fourth grade due to dyslexia. "And that became a driving force in his life. I just admire that man so much."
As for who will actually win the Republican nomination in 2028, Hannity believes there won't be a "coronation" in the party. He relates it to the 2016 primary, in which Trump ultimately won the nomination in a crowded field of 17 total candidates. Hannity believes the experience made Trump "tougher."
For all of the rhetoric and at times, on-air fighting that happens on his show, Hannity downplays the idea that he has a list of enemies. Hannity recently sparred on TV with former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio over Israel, but the Fox anchor says he "personally" likes de Blasio.
"Whatever rivalries that may have existed early in my career, they're long gone," Hannity says. "I don't feel I have anything to prove except to myself. I want to serve my audience. And that means doing the best shows I can do every single day and working really hard."
Sean Hannity reflects on Fox News' CEO Roger Ailes
Fox News launched on Oct. 7, 1996. Hannity, who at the time was hosting a radio show in Atlanta, was hired to coanchor a program called "Hannity and Colmes" with liberal political commentator Alan Colmes. The show lasted until 2009, when Hannity broke out on his own with his current nightly broadcast. Colmes continued on with Fox News both on TV and radio. He died in 2017.
The early transition from radio to TV for Hannity was so bumpy that about "a year or two" in, he walked into the office of Fox News CEO Roger Ailes and asked why he wasn't fired yet.
"[Ailes] goes, 'One, no one's watching,' which I thought was funny," Hannity recalls. "And, 'Two, you were a broadcaster. I knew you would get it.'"
While that was reassuring to hear, Hannity didn't always believe he would "get it." He recalls that at first, the camera felt "intrusive," as he came from the radio world. After realizing he needed to look more natural, Hannity watched how nightly news anchors would toss in and out of prerecorded packages, looking to and away from the camera at certain points. Eventually, he found a comfort zone.
Hannity says he's "grateful" for Ailes giving him a chance, despite the executive's downfall. In 2016, former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson filed a lawsuit that accused Ailes of sexual harassment and of firing her and sabotaging her career after she rejected his advances. Within two weeks of the allegations, as other women came forward, Ailes was fired. The lawsuit also served as a catalyst for the #MeToo movement.
Hannity admits that that when he read the allegations, he "couldn't understand" what was happening.
"It was not the person I knew," he says of Ailes. "It was not the person I dealt with. I'm grateful for the opportunity that I've been given. He brought me in, and he probably should have fired me, and he didn't."
Will the Sean Hannity show continue on Fox News? Anchor talks retirement, future
Hannity's response to a question about his professional future is simple.
"I don't want to stop," he says. "I can't wait to get up in the morning."
Contract terms between he and Fox have been kept under wraps since 2012, when he signed a reported four-year deal at the time. His latest contract also includes "Hang Out with Sean Hannity," which falls under Fox News' podcast portfolio. Hannity's radio show is under a separate deal with syndication company Premiere Networks.
According to a report from Axios, Fox News' lead in the cable news ratings has never been wider. Deadline reports that the network's average viewership, while down year-over-year, is still double of MS NOW's and triple that of CNN's.
Hannity notes that he can't read through his prep for the day from producers "fast enough" and believes he can still retain and recall information well enough to do the job.
"I could tell you Ronald Reagan's entire record," he claims. "I mean, I'm a loser. There's your headline: 'Sean Hannity admits he's a complete loser.' But I'm a grateful loser."
Contributing: Wendy Naugle, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sean Hannity gets candid on Ainsley Earhardt, Trump and his Fox News future
Source: Entertainment