Who Is Monica Crowley? Trump Cabinet Pick For National Security Communications Director Was Fox News Host, Former Nixon Adviser

President-elect Donald Trump tapped Monica Crowley to join his cabinet as senior director of strategic communications for the National Security Council Thursday. Crowley, 48, had previously been mentioned as a potential pick for press secretary.

"I am deeply honored, humbled and grateful to be asked by the President-elect to join the extraordinary national security team he is assembling," Crowley said in a news release. "With vision, courage and moral clarity, he is committed fully to re-establishing America's singular place in the world. He is also committed to selecting the best people for the jobs of keeping the American people safe and the country secure. It will be a great privilege to serve with them."

Crowley began her career as a foreign policy assistant to former President Richard Nixon. Crowley worked at Fox News as an analyst and is currently a columnist and editor for the Washington Times. Crowley's contract with Fox News had been terminated following her appointment to Trump's cabinet, a spokesperson confirmed to International Business Times.

Crowley has supported Trump from the start and told viewers on Fox News not to underestimate him early in his campaign. She wrote a column Dec. 7 for the Washington Times titled “Donald Trump and the Art of Getting it Done.”

“The man hasn’t even clocked in yet, and he’s already saving American jobs, reassuring allies, striking fear and anxiety in our enemies and standing for freedom and free enterprise,” she wrote. Crowley has also praised Trump and his cabinet picks on Twitter.

Crowley has repeatedly criticized President Barack Obama and Democrat Hillary Clinton, especially for not using the term “radical Islamic terrorism.” A 2015 article Crowley wrote, titled “The ‘Refugee’ Crisis Is Jihad By Another Name," argued that most refugees were not leaving their countries for legitimate reasons.

“Let’s be clear: Some of them may be fleeing war and persecution,” she wrote. “But most are not.”

She went on to say that “if the EU were serious about taking in genuine ‘refugees,’ it would have followed Australia’s example of processing all refugees offshore. Those who qualify as actual refugees are then brought onshore to be further processed. All others are sent back to their countries of origin.”

Crowley's responsibilities could mirror what Ben Rhodes, Obama’s current deputy national security advisor for strategic communications and speechwriting, does. He is responsible for overseeing national security communications, speechwriting and global engagement.