History of Kayleigh McEnany in Timeline

Kayleigh McEnany is an American political commentator and media personality. She is most notable for serving as the 33rd White House press secretary during the Trump administration from 2020 to 2021. Prior to this role, she worked as a political commentator for CNN and later as the national press secretary for the Trump 2020 campaign. McEnany is known for her staunch defense of President Trump and her often combative interactions with the press during her time as press secretary.

Sections (1)

Full Timeline

April 18, 1988: Kayleigh McEnany Born

On April 18, 1988, Kayleigh Michelle McEnany was born. She later became a political commentator, media personality, and White House press secretary.

Others born on this day/year

2002: Beheading of Daniel Pearl

In 2002, the beheading of Daniel Pearl occurred. Kayleigh McEnany later referenced this event in 2017 when commenting on Obama's golfing habits.

2010: Graduation from Georgetown University

In 2010, Kayleigh McEnany graduated from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service with a major in international politics.

2012: Tweets Questioning Obama's Birthplace

In 2012, Kayleigh McEnany posted several tweets questioning Barack Obama's birthplace, echoing the "birther" conspiracy theorist movement.

2014: Beheading of James Foley

In 2014, journalist James Foley was beheaded by ISIS in Syria. Obama, who was vacationing on Martha's Vineyard at the time, admitted that he should have "anticipated the optics" of golfing immediately after making a press statement on Foley's death, an event which McEnany later referenced.

2015: Critical of Donald Trump

In early 2015, before becoming a Trump supporter, Kayleigh McEnany was highly critical of him on CNN and Fox Business, calling him a "showman" and his comments about Mexican immigrants "racist".

2016: Critic turned Defender of Donald Trump

Early in the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, Kayleigh McEnany was initially a critic of Donald Trump but transitioned to become one of his staunchest defenders.

2016: Graduation from Harvard Law School

In 2016, Kayleigh McEnany graduated from Harvard Law School.

2016: Hillary Clinton conceded to Trump

In 2016, within two days of Trump's victory, his opponent Hillary Clinton conceded to Trump, while then-President Barack Obama had recognized Trump as president-elect and hosted him at the White House.

2016: Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential election

Kayleigh McEnany falsely claimed that the Mueller Report as part of the larger investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential election had resulted in a "complete and total exoneration of President Trump." on May 1, 2020.

2016: Supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election

Kayleigh McEnany supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.

August 5, 2017: Left CNN

On August 5, 2017, Kayleigh McEnany left her position at CNN.

Loading Video...

August 7, 2017: Appointed RNC National Spokesperson

On August 7, 2017, the Republican National Committee (RNC) appointed Kayleigh McEnany as its national spokesperson.

November 2017: Marriage to Sean Gilmartin

In November 2017, Kayleigh McEnany married Sean Gilmartin, a pitcher in Major League Baseball.

2017: Comment on Obama Golfing

In 2017, Kayleigh McEnany stated that it was hypocritical to accuse President Trump of playing golf when Obama had done the same after the 2002 beheading of Daniel Pearl. She later apologized for the comment.

2017: Appointed RNC National Spokesperson

In 2017, Kayleigh McEnany was appointed as the national spokesperson for the Republican National Committee.

2018: Preventive Double Mastectomy

In 2018, Kayleigh McEnany underwent a preventive double mastectomy due to a BRCA mutation that put her at high risk of developing breast cancer.

June 2019: Stephanie Grisham becomes White House Communications Director

In June 2019, Stephanie Grisham became White House communications director. She later became First Lady Melania Trump's chief of staff and spokesperson in April 2020.

August 2019: McEnany claims Trump never lied

In August 2019, after The Washington Post reported that Trump had made 16,241 false or misleading statements, Kayleigh McEnany told CNN's Chris Cuomo: "I don't believe the president has lied."

November 2019: Birth of First Daughter

In November 2019, Kayleigh McEnany and her husband Sean Gilmartin welcomed their first daughter.

2019: National Press Secretary for Trump Campaign

In 2019, Kayleigh McEnany started working for the Trump 2020 presidential campaign as national press secretary.

March 2020: McEnany praises Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic

In March 2020, Kayleigh McEnany praised Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and said Democrats were trying "to politicize" the coronavirus and were almost "rooting for this outcome."

March 2020: Trump acknowledged to Woodward that he was intentionally downplaying the severity of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus

In March 2020, Trump acknowledged to Woodward that he was intentionally downplaying the severity of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. In the wake of this development on September 9, 2020, McEnany falsely asserted, "The president never downplayed the virus."

March 19, 2020: Trump admitted to downplaying the virus

In a recorded March 19, 2020 interview with Bob Woodward, Donald Trump said, "I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic." This information became public in September 2020 and Kayleigh McEnany falsely asserted, "The president never downplayed the virus." in response.

April 7, 2020: Hired as White House Press Secretary

On April 7, 2020, Mark Meadows's first personnel change as White House chief of staff was hiring Kayleigh McEnany as White House press secretary.

April 2020: Defended Trump's assertion about WHO

In April 2020, Kayleigh McEnany defended Trump's assertion that the World Health Organization had shown a "clear bias towards China" and said that the WHO put Americans at risk.

April 2020: McEnany becomes White House Press Secretary

In April 2020, Kayleigh McEnany was hired as White House press secretary after Mark Meadows replaced Mick Mulvaney as White House chief of staff.

May 1, 2020: First Public Press Briefing

On May 1, 2020, Kayleigh McEnany held her first public press briefing as White House press secretary, pledging to never lie and making claims about Trump's responses to the coronavirus pandemic and allegations of sexual misconduct.

May 8, 2020: White House Shelving COVID-19 Re-Opening Guidelines

Amid reports on May 8, 2020, that the White House was "shelving" the release of COVID-19 re-opening guidelines, Kayleigh McEnany said that the guidelines had not been approved by Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

May 2020: Defended Trump's Claims about Joe Scarborough and Vote by Mail

In May 2020, Kayleigh McEnany defended Trump's false accusation that Joe Scarborough had a person murdered and repeated his inaccurate claims about the dangers of vote by mail, despite having voted by mail herself 11 times in 10 years.

June 2020: Defended Removal of Peaceful Protestors

In June 2020, Kayleigh McEnany defended the Trump administration's decision to forcibly remove peaceful protestors so that Trump could stage a photo op in front of St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington.

September 9, 2020: News agencies released audio recordings of interviews with Trump

On September 9, 2020, news agencies released the audio recordings of interviews with Trump that former Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward had conducted in February and March 2020 for his book Rage. McEnany falsely asserted, "The president never downplayed the virus."

Rage

Check it on Amazon

September 15, 2020: Release of Bob Woodward's book Rage

Bob Woodward's book Rage was released on September 15, 2020, containing interviews with Donald Trump in which he admitted to downplaying the severity of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Kayleigh McEnany falsely asserted, "The president never downplayed the virus." in response to the revelations in the book.

Rage

Check it on Amazon

October 5, 2020: McEnany Tests Positive for COVID-19

On October 5, 2020, Kayleigh McEnany tested positive for COVID-19, after interacting with individuals who had been diagnosed with coronavirus days prior, while not wearing a mask.

October 2020: Senior Advisor for Trump Campaign

In October 2020, Kayleigh McEnany worked for the Trump 2020 presidential campaign as a senior advisor.

November 20, 2020: McEnany falsely claimed Trump was not given an "orderly transition of power"

On November 20, 2020, Kayleigh McEnany falsely claimed Trump was not given an "orderly transition of power".

December 2020: Politico names McEnany's prediction one of the most incorrect prognostications

In December 2020, Politico named McEnany's earlier prediction about the coronavirus one of "the most audacious, confident and spectacularly incorrect prognostications about the year".

January 2021: End of Senior Advisor Role

In January 2021, Kayleigh McEnany's role as senior advisor for the Trump 2020 presidential campaign concluded.

March 2, 2021: Joins Fox News

On March 2, 2021, Kayleigh McEnany joined Fox News as an on-air contributor and was later named co-host of Outnumbered.

Loading Video...

2021: Warning against hiring McEnany

Following the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, Randall Lane, writing for Forbes, warned corporations against hiring Kayleigh McEnany.

June 2022: Announcement of Second Pregnancy

In June 2022, Kayleigh McEnany announced that she and her husband Sean Gilmartin were expecting their second child.

December 2022: Birth of Second Child

In December 2022, Kayleigh McEnany and her husband welcomed a baby boy.

June 2023: Interim Host of Fox News Tonight

In June 2023, Kayleigh McEnany served as an interim host of Fox News Tonight.

March 17, 2025: Announcement of Third Pregnancy

On March 17, 2025, Kayleigh McEnany announced on Outnumbered that she and Sean Gilmartin were expecting their third child in June 2025.

June 2025: Third Pregnancy

In June 2025, Kayleigh McEnany and Sean Gilmartin were expecting their third child.

June 30, 2025: Birth of Third Child

On June 30, 2025, it was announced that Kayleigh McEnany had given birth to a baby girl named Avery Grace.

September 2025: Named Host of Saturday in America with Kayleigh McEnany

In September 2025, Fox News announced that Kayleigh McEnany was named host of a new Saturday morning program called Saturday in America with Kayleigh McEnany, which would air from 10am-12pm every Saturday morning beginning on September 20.