Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke reportedly wants to work at Fox News as a contributor once he leaves the Trump administration, which could be as soon as year’s end.
Zinke inquired with Fox News about the prospect of a contract after telling associates he will likely step down from his post at the top of the Interior Department soon, Politico reported Thursday. But another source told the outlet Zinke was unlikely to secure a role without the personal intervention of President Trump.
Instead, Zinke could head to the board of an energy company or a private equity firm.
Interior spokeswoman Heather Swift told the Washington Examiner Thursday that the report was not true.
“Belongs in The Onion. Laughably false,” Swift said in a statement, referring to the satirical website.
A Fox News representative also denied the report0 Thursday: “No one at Fox News has spoken to Zinke about a contributor role.”
Zinke is facing a Justice Department investigation into whether he used his office for personal gain following a referral from the Interior Department’s internal watchdog. The exact scope of the DOJ investigation is unclear. However, Zinke has come under scrutiny for a real estate deal between Halliburton Chairman David Lesar and a Montana foundation he used to run before his wife took over.