Former U.S. National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow will move into the Fox Business Network lineup next week, effectively replacing Lou Dobbs, whose program was canceled Friday.
Kudlow’s new program will air at 4 p.m. Eastern with a repeat at 7 p.m. Eastern, the business channel announced Monday.
“Fox Business Tonight,” which currently fills the Dobbs time period, will continue to air at 5 p.m. Eastern with rotating hosts, but will be replaced at 7 p.m. by re-airing Kudlow‘s show.
Kudlow, 73, is a conservative with experience in the Trump and Reagan administrations. His program will be driven by opinionated guests and commentary.
Dobbs, 75, was pulled off the air Friday, after a 10-year run at Fox Business, which is part of Fox News Media. Dobbs also occasionally appeared on the flagship channel Fox News. He remains under contract at Fox News but is not expected to be back on the air.
The cancellation of “Lou Dobbs Tonight” came a day after voting software company Smartmatic filed a $2.7-billion defamation suit against Fox News and three of its hosts — Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro. The lawsuit said the hosts perpetuated lies and disinformation about Smartmatic’s role in the election, damaging its business and reputation.
People familiar with discussions who were not authorized to comment say the decision to end Dobbs’ program was under consideration before the legal issues with Smartmatic arose. The company said it has been considering programming changes throughout the Fox News and Fox Business lineups since the fall.
Dobbs had been the most aggressive supporter of former President Trump’s unfounded claims that widespread voter fraud had stolen the election from him and awarded it to Joe Biden.
Dobbs, who was signed to Fox News by former Chief Executive Roger Ailes in 2011, has long been the company’s most outspoken supporter of Trump’s economic and immigration policies. In the weeks after the election, Dobbs expressed anger on his program that the Republican Party did not do more to act on the former president’s claims.
Kudlow, who was hired by Fox Business on Jan. 26, will be familiar to viewers who watch Dobbs’ program. He was a host on business news channel CNBC from 2001 to 2014.
“I am thrilled to be part of this new venture at FBN and for the opportunity to really drill down on the most pressing economic issues impacting everyday Americans,” Kudlow said in a statement.
Kudlow is the first former Trump official to sign on with Fox News since the election. The company has held conversations about an on-air role for former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, who once worked at Fox News as a producer.
