Christopher Ruddy facts for kids

Christopher Ruddy (born January 28, 1965) is an American journalist. He is best known as the CEO and main owner of Newsmax Media, a news organization.

Early Life and Education

Chris Ruddy grew up in Williston Park, New York, on Long Island. His father was a police officer. Chris went to Chaminade High School in Mineola, New York.

He then studied history at St. John's University, New York, graduating with high honors in 1987. He also earned a master's degree in public policy from the London School of Economics. During his college years, he also studied in Jerusalem. Before becoming a journalist, he briefly taught social studies in The Bronx.

Journalism Career

Early in his career, Chris Ruddy was the editor of a conservative magazine called the New York Guardian. He became known for questioning a story in a PBS documentary. The documentary claimed an all-Black army unit had freed prisoners from concentration camps in World War II. Ruddy's reporting suggested this claim was not fully accurate.

After that, Ruddy joined the New York Post as an investigative reporter in 1993. He wrote about different topics, including problems with Social Security benefits. He then focused on the Whitewater scandal, which involved then-President Bill Clinton.

In 1995, he became a national correspondent for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He continued to cover the Clinton White House and other important stories.

Investigative Reporting

While working for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Ruddy investigated questions surrounding the death of White House counsel Vince Foster. Ruddy's reporting raised questions about the official investigation into Foster's death. One officer mentioned in Ruddy's reports sued him for libel. However, the lawsuit was dismissed because the court found Ruddy's statements were not libelous towards the officer.

Ruddy later wrote a book about his findings called The Strange Death of Vincent Foster. After founding Newsmax, Ruddy stopped his full-time investigative reporting. However, he still writes occasionally and helps shape Newsmax's overall news coverage.

Founding Newsmax

After his time at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Chris Ruddy started Newsmax Media in 1998. He began the company with a small investment and the support of Richard Mellon Scaife, who owned the Tribune-Review.

They raised money from many private investors. By 2000, they bought out these investors. Ruddy then owned 60% of Newsmax, with Scaife as a silent partner until Scaife's death in 2014. Newsmax has grown to become a well-known news organization.

Political Views and Connections

Chris Ruddy describes himself as a "libertarian conservative" and a "Reaganite". This means he believes in limited government and individual freedom, similar to the ideas of former President Ronald Reagan.

Ruddy has sometimes held different views from the Republican Party. For example, he was one of the first conservatives to speak out against the Iraq War in 2004. He believed the war was too costly and lacked a clear plan.

Relationship with Bill Clinton

Over time, Ruddy's views on former President Bill Clinton changed. While he had criticized Clinton's administration early in his career, he later re-evaluated it. He told The New York Times that he and Richard Scaife came to believe Clinton was "a pretty good president in a lot of ways."

In 2007, Ruddy published a positive interview with former President Clinton on Newsmax's website. They even had private lunches together. Ruddy praised Clinton's global work through the Clinton Foundation. He explained that he and Scaife felt Clinton was doing important work representing the U.S. around the world.

In 2010, President Clinton even visited Newsmax's offices in West Palm Beach. Ruddy and Clinton have continued their friendly relationship.

Relationship with Donald Trump

Chris Ruddy is also a close friend and trusted advisor to former President Donald Trump. He is a member of Trump's Mar-a-Lago club.

Ruddy has spoken about Trump's use of social media, especially his tweets on Friday nights and Saturdays. Ruddy explained that Trump understands the news cycle and uses these times to get his messages out when other news organizations might be less active.

In 2017, Ruddy made some claims about Trump's thoughts on the Robert Mueller investigation. He said Trump had considered offering Mueller the job of FBI Director before Mueller became special counsel. He also claimed Trump was thinking about ending Mueller's role as special prosecutor. However, Ruddy did not provide proof for these claims.

Views on Joe Biden

In 2021, Ruddy wrote an opinion piece for Newsmax praising President Joe Biden for his efforts in rolling out COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. Ruddy stated that Biden "inherited an effective vaccine from President Donald Trump, took it into his arms, and ran with it." He added that Americans could applaud Biden's success with the vaccine rollout because it was "saving countless lives."

Other Activities

Chris Ruddy has served on the board of directors for the Financial Publishers Association (FIPA). This group helps news publications grow and provide independent information to readers.

He is also a member of the International Council at the CSIS. This is a Washington, D.C., organization that focuses on national security and foreign affairs. Ruddy has also been part of U.S. delegations to international conferences.

From 2009 to 2013, Ruddy was on the board of the American Swiss Foundation, which works to improve relations between the U.S. and Switzerland. In 2010, a British newspaper, The Daily Telegraph, named Ruddy as one of the "100 Most Influential Conservatives" in the U.S.

Ruddy has also supported the Wikimedia Foundation, the organization behind Wikipedia.

See also

• New Yorkers in journalism