Overview
- McHenry said on Wednesday that she has been appointed a press advisor to the U.S. Department of State and posted the news on X alongside a LinkedIn update.
- Her LinkedIn description says she will work with Global Public Affairs to develop strategies to address media concerns and explain State Department initiatives, but it gives few concrete duties.
- The State Department had not issued an official announcement or confirmed the hire to reporters when outlets queried the agency.
- Reporters noted McHenry’s past controversies — a 2015 towing-yard tirade, a 2017 exit from ESPN in mass layoffs, and a 2019 sexual harassment suit against George ‘Tyrus’ Murdoch that was dismissed after a confidential 2021 settlement — as reasons for skepticism about her fit for the role.
- Coverage varies by outlet, with some reporting the appointment straightforwardly and others criticizing the choice, and the hire could increase scrutiny of Rubio’s staffing choices and how the State Department handles public diplomacy.