Hugh Hewitt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hugh Hewitt
Hewitt in 2017
President and CEO of the Richard Nixon Foundation
In office July 1, 2019 – November 8, 2021
Preceded by	William Baribault
Succeeded by	Jim Byron
In office January 23, 1989 – September 17, 1990
Preceded by	position established
Succeeded by	John Taylor
Deputy Director of the Office of Personnel Management
In office July 14, 1988 – January 20, 1989
President	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	James Colvard
Succeeded by	Bill Phillips
Personal details
Born	(1956-02-22) February 22, 1956 (age 69) Warren, Ohio, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Betsy Hewitt ​ (m. 1982)​
Education	Harvard University (BA) University of Michigan (JD)

Hugh Hewitt (born February 22, 1956) is an American conservative political commentator. He is also a radio talk show host for the Salem Radio Network. Hewitt is an attorney, a teacher, and an author. He writes about law, society, politics, and how the media reports news.

Hewitt worked for the Reagan administration in the past. He was also the president and CEO of the Richard Nixon Foundation. He teaches law at Chapman University School of Law. He used to write for The Washington Post and is a regular political commentator on Fox News. He is one of the most listened-to radio talk show hosts in the United States.

Early Life and Education

Hugh Hewitt was born on February 22, 1956, in Warren, Ohio. His parents were Marguerite and William Robert Hewitt. He has family roots in both Ulster and the Republic of Ireland.

Hewitt went to John F. Kennedy Catholic High School. In 1978, he graduated with honors from Harvard University. He earned a degree in government. After Harvard, he worked for David Eisenhower and helped Richard Nixon write books. These books included The Real War and Leaders.

Nixon encouraged Hewitt to attend University of Michigan Law School. He earned his law degree in 1983. After that, he moved to Washington, D.C.. He worked for judges Roger Robb and George MacKinnon from 1983 to 1984.

Career Highlights

Hewitt held several jobs in the Ronald Reagan administration. He was a deputy director and general counsel for the United States Office of Personnel Management. He also worked for the National Endowment for the Humanities. He was an assistant White House Counsel and a special assistant to the Attorney General.

In 1989, Hewitt became the executive director of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. He left the Nixon Library in 1990.

Radio and Television Work

After leaving the Nixon Library, Hewitt hosted a weekend radio talk show. This show was for the Los Angeles radio station KFI until 1995. In 1992, he started co-hosting Life & Times on PBS station KCET. He stayed with this program until 2001. Hewitt won three Emmys for his work on Life & Times. He also created and hosted the 1996 PBS series Searching for God in America.

He has written weekly columns for the Daily Standard and World. He has appeared on many TV shows. These include The Dennis Miller Show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, Larry King Live, The O'Reilly Factor, The Today Show and The Colbert Report.

Hewitt also became a law professor at Chapman University School of Law. He started a journal called Nexus Journal of Law and Policy.

Return to the Nixon Foundation

In 2019, Hewitt returned to the Nixon Library. He became the president and CEO of the Richard Nixon Foundation. This foundation helps run the Nixon Library. He announced he would split his time between Orange County and Washington, D.C. He also opened a Nixon Foundation office in Washington. In November 2021, Jim Byron took over his role.

The Hugh Hewitt Show (Radio)

Hewitt's radio show, The Hugh Hewitt Show, is broadcast across the country. It airs from California on weekdays. The show is on more than 75 stations. It is shared by the Salem Radio Network. Since April 4, 2016, the show has been in a morning time slot.

Hewitt talks about law, government, and politics on his show. He also discusses American culture and entertainment. He often talks about the mainstream media. He sometimes invites journalists to discuss their work on his show. Regular guests include law professors John C. Eastman and Erwin Chemerinsky. Other guests are James Lileks, Mark Steyn, and David Allen White. Congressman David Dreier also appears.

Hugh Hewitt (Television)

On June 24, 2017, a half-hour TV show called Hugh Hewitt started on MSNBC. It aired on Saturdays. On the show, he interviewed people and shared his thoughts on current events. On June 30, 2018, Hewitt announced the show was canceled. He continued to appear on NBC networks. In 2020, NBC and MSNBC stopped inviting him on their programs. In 2021, Hewitt was released from his contract. He then started appearing on Fox News Channel. In November 2024, Hewitt left his position with The Washington Post.

Political Views

Hewitt looks up to George Will and Charles Krauthammer for their style of political commentary. Politico described Hewitt as a strong supporter of Ronald Reagan's ideas.

Foreign Policy

In 2006, Hewitt said that the War in Iraq was one of President George W. Bush's wisest decisions. Regarding the Syrian Civil War, Hewitt believed President Donald Trump made a mistake by reducing U.S. troops. He has also said that Republicans who vote against more money for defense should be removed from office.

Views on Donald Trump

Hewitt was a moderator for some of the 2016 Republican Party presidential debates and forums. He had disagreements with Donald Trump during these debates. Hewitt said that Trump did not have the right personality to be president. However, in February 2016, Hewitt wrote that he would support Trump if he became the Republican nominee.

In June 2016, after some controversial comments by Trump, Hewitt publicly asked the RNC to stop supporting Trump. A week later, Hewitt changed his mind in an article for The Washington Post. Internal emails showed that an executive from Salem Media encouraged Hewitt to support Trump. Hewitt, however, said he was not pressured to change his views.

On August 3, 2016, he suggested that Ivanka Trump could replace Donald Trump on the ticket. On October 8, he asked Trump to leave the race after the Access Hollywood tape became public. Hewitt later said he voted for Trump.

Hewitt supported Trump's decision to change his foreign policy team in 2018. He approved of John Bolton and Mike Pompeo being placed in important national security roles. He described John Bolton as a "peace-through-strength" conservative. According to Politico, Hewitt became a public supporter of Trump's new national security team.

During the 2019 Trump–Ukraine scandal, Hewitt suggested a theory about the whistleblower complaint. He said the complaint was meant to distract from other issues. He wrote an article about the impeachment inquiry. He also said the FBI tried a "coup" against Trump. He described the July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as unimportant.

In October 2019, Hewitt defended Trump's choice to remove U.S. troops from Northern Syria. This left Syrian Kurds vulnerable to attack. On October 24, 2024, Hewitt stated on his podcast that he had voted for Trump for president in 2024.

Immigration Views

In a June 2018 interview with then Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Hewitt questioned the policy of separating immigrant children from their parents. Hewitt said he believed children should not be separated from their parents, especially infants and toddlers. He felt it was very difficult and upsetting for the child.

Personal Life

Hewitt has written several books about the Christian faith. He has said that the Democratic Party is against religion. He goes to church regularly. He married Betsy Hewitt in 1982. He lives in Virginia with his wife and three children.

Books Written by Hugh Hewitt

• The Queen: The Epic Ambition of Hillary and the Coming of a Second "Clinton Era" (2015)
• The Happiest Life: Seven Gifts, Seven Givers, and the Secret to Genuine Success (2013)
• The Brief Against Obama: The Rise, Fall & Epic Fail of the Hope & Change Presidency (2012)
• The War Against the West (2008)
• A Mormon in the White House?: 10 Things Every American Should Know about Mitt Romney (2007)
• A Guide to Christian Ambition: Using Career, Politics, and Culture to Influence the World (2006)
• Painting the Map Red: The Fight to Create a Permanent Republican Majority (2006)
• Blog: Understanding the Information Reformation That's Changing Your World (2005)
• If It's Not Close, They Can't Cheat: Crushing the Democrats in Every Election and Why Your Life Depends on It (2004)
• In, But Not Of: A Guide to Christian Ambition (2003)
• The Embarrassed Believer (1998)
• Searching for God in America: The Companion Volume to the Acclaimed TV Series (1996)
• First Principles: A Primer of Ideas for the College-Bound Student (1987)