Mick Mulvaney, the former Director of the Office of Management and Budget acting White House Chief of Staff during the Trump administration, has been named a contributor to NewsNation, the upstart cable-news service operated by Nexstar Media.
Mulvaney, who has left a contributor role at CBS News, is expected to take up his new duties immediately, appearing on the new politics-roundtable program “The Hill” at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
“Mick’s enormous experience in the political sector will make him an incredible resource to viewers,” said Michael Corn, president of news at NewsNation, in a statement. “We are excited to welcome him to our growing powerhouse team of political analysts, especially as we enter another important election season.”
Mulvaney has proven to be an interesting figure in TV-news circles. While his proximity to a roiling presidency gives him first-hand knowledge of Trump at a time when the former Commander in Chief is starting a new campaign for the White House, Mulvaney’s presence at CBS News generated some pushback from certain staffers and critic, and even Stephen Colbert, the network’s late-night host.
“I’m excited to be joining NewsNation,: Mulvaney said in a statement. “There’s something invigorating about being involved with something new. And not just a new network, but a new approach: focusing on the news, and not the hype. I’m looking forward to smart, in-depth, and reasonable discussions on the important issues of the day. NewsNation is putting together a team that will be able to do that better than any other outlet.”
Nexstar is betting that NewsNation, which is brandishing a down-the-center dispostion, can woo viewers tired of the partisan leanings of more established cable-news outlets. Others are testing a similar strategy. Warner Bros. Discovery’s CNN has worked to tamp down anchors’ passionate on air takes and to bring Republicans into its newsgathering along with Democrats.
Mulvaney’s hire follows that of other analysts at NewsNation, including political editor Chris Stirewalt, former Obama official Johanna Maska, senior political contributor George Will, and progressive political commentator Chris Hahn.
Mr. Mulvaney is currently the co-chairman of Actum Strategic Consultants, and serves on the Board of Advisers of the Digital Chamber of Commerce and the Swiss technology firm Astra Protocol, Inc. Mulvaney was elected four times to the United States House of Representatives, where he also held positions as the co-founder of the Freedom Caucus and the Bitcoin Caucus. Prior to public office, he worked in various roles as a lawyer, real estate developer, restaurant owner and operator, and homebuilder.
