Speculation that Newt Gingrich could be Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick has prompted Fox News to suspend its contract with the former Republican Speaker of the House.
Gingrich has served as a political commentator for the cabler since last fall. Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee for president, is expected to announce his choice for VP on Friday. The Republican National Convention, where Trump will formally be enshrined as the party’s nominee, begins Monday in Cleveland.
“Fox News Channel has mutually agreed to suspend its contributor agreement with Former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich effective immediately,” said Jay Wallace, Fox News’ exec VP of news. “Due to the intense media speculation about Gingrich’s potential selection as Donald Trump’s Vice Presidential candidate, we felt it best to halt his contributor role on the network to avoid all conflicts of interest that may arise.”
Gingrich joined the Fox News stable in October. Before that he was a co-host of CNN’s short-lived revival of “Crossfire.”
Gingrich has maintained a high profile in media since leaving Congress in 1999 after 21 years. He mounted his own campaign for the presidency in 2011 and 2012.
