Dana Perino on Trump’s White House, Fox News, and … Love

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May 6, 2025

Dana Perino, former White House Press Secretary and Fox News star, shares her journey from the tumultuous Bush era to her current role in media. She discusses navigating chaos in the news landscape and the power of optimism. A highlight is her new book, which offers career and life advice, including cultivating meaningful relationships. Dana reflects on Trump’s media strategy and the evolving communication styles in politics. Her insights balance personal experiences with broader reflections on trust and ethics in the media.

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INSIGHT

Political Realignment Insight

Dana Perino observes the GOP realignment with earlier Democrats becoming Republicans and today's young conservatives emerging.
She believes the 2016 Trump win was a natural shift, while Biden’s 2020 victory was an aberration due to COVID.

INSIGHT

Trump Changed Political Communication

Trump was the first to master leading by social media, changing political communication fundamentally.
Future communicators will need to adapt to direct, intimate channels akin to how FDR used radio.

ADVICE

Engage Media to Shape Narrative

The White House should answer reporters’ calls to appear more in stories and improve media relations.
Ignoring or trashing media after stories run wastes political capital and misses chances to shape narratives.

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Sometimes we have a guest who needs no introduction. You know Dana Perino. She took on the job of White House press secretary when President George W. Bush was at his most unpopular—back in 2007 and 2008, as the Iraq War dragged on. She did not receive a warm welcome from those covering the White House—outlets like The New Republic called her clueless, and she was even injured after an Iraqi reporter threw his shoes at Bush.

It was not an easy job, but, as anyone who served in the press corps back then will tell you, she did it masterfully.

Then she went to Fox News, where she quickly became a fixture. Today, she co-hosts America’s Newsroom in the morning and also co-hosts the highest-rated show on cable—Fox News’ The Five—where she is both the moral arbiter and the straight man.

Today on Honestly, Bari asks Dana about the moments of great tumult at Fox News and in news media more broadly. She asks Dana what she makes of Trump’s media strategy—including the administration’s open mocking of deportees.

On top of that, Dana’s also pretty well-known for being a mentor, and she has a new book that allows those who don’t know her to access her wisdom.

It’s called I Wish Someone Had Told Me . . . : The Best Advice for Building a Great Career and a Meaningful Life, and it just hit bookstores. It’s full of practical advice from Dana and her friends, including many of her news colleagues.

Her book covers everything from starting off in the workplace to keeping your career afloat during all the ups and downs that will inevitably come your way. Dana talks about how to stay healthy, keeping yourself financially secure, dealing with bosses and coworkers, handling your personal relationships, and the endless struggle of balancing work and life.

From her time at Fox and Republican politics, Dana knows quite a bit about navigating through total chaos and keeping your head above water—you’re going to learn a lot from this one.

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