Sage Steele has dismissed as “fake news” a report claiming she was pursuing the role of press secretary for the Trump administration.
Earlier this week, Axios reported that Steele was “vying” for the position.
However, in a post on X on Thursday, Steele firmly denied the allegation.
“Not sure how these rumors began about me ‘vying’ to be Press Secretary, but it’s definitely fake news! I haven’t had a single conversation with anyone about that job, and have no desire to do so!” Steele wrote.
“Honestly, it was the honor of a lifetime to be a small part of @TeamTrump during the campaign – something I NEVER imagined – but I wholeheartedly believe in @realDonaldTrump @JDVance & am excited to find ways to continue to serve. It took me years to not be afraid to speak up. That fear is gone forever, and I hope others are beginning to feel the same. LFG!”
Before the election, Steele campaigned for president-elect Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.
In 2023, Steele departed ESPN after a 15-year tenure that included roles as host of NBA Countdown and SportsCenter.
Her departure came in the wake of a high-profile lawsuit against the network and its parent company, Disney, in which she claimed her free speech rights had been violated.
“Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” Steele wrote last August.
Sage Marie Steele (born November 28, 1972) is an American television anchor and former co-host of ESPN’s SportsCenter at 12 p.m. (ET). Known for her dynamic reporting, Steele hosted SportsCenter on the Road from marquee events like the Super Bowl and The Masters and led NBA Countdown on ESPN and ABC for four seasons until 2017.
Before her NBA hosting role, she was a full-time anchor on SportsCenter and a key contributor to ESPN First Take, Mike & Mike in the Morning, and SportsNation. Steele also fronted SportsCenter’s daytime NBA Finals coverage in 2012 and 2013 and covered every NBA Finals from 2012 to 2020.
