Fox News ending contributor agreement with Gingrich

Fox News on Tuesday announced it is ending its contributor agreement with former Speaker Newt Gingrich.

“Fox News Channel has mutually agreed to suspend its contributor agreement with Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich effective immediately,” Jay Wallace, executive vice president of news at Fox News, said in a statement.

{mosads}”Due to intense media speculation about Gingrich’s potential selection as Donald Trump’s vice presidential candidate, we felt it best to halt his contributor role on the network to avoid all conflicts of interest that may arise.”

Gingrich has been considered a front-runner on presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump’s vice presidential shortlist. The former Speaker campaigned with Trump in Ohio last week.

During the campaign event, Trump did not say what role Gingrich would play in his administration, but said he would be involved.

“Newt has been my friend for a long time. And I’m not saying anything, and I’m not telling even Newt anything, but I can tell you, in one form or another, Newt Gingrich is going to be involved with our government,” Trump said. “That I can tell you.” 

Gingrich said Monday that Trump will likely announce his running mate later this week. 

“I think they’ll let everybody know probably Thursday or Friday,” he said during a Monday night interview with Fox News’s Greta Van Susteren.

A report also surfaced Monday that Trump is eyeing Gingrich for a top national security role in his administration if he is elected president. 

A source told The Hill Tuesday that because Gingrich is likely to be up for another role in a potential Trump administration if he’s not tapped for VP, the network is unlikely to renew his agreement until after the general election.