Andrea Tantaros was one of America’s most recognisable conservative voices before stepping away from mainstream television years ago. Both triumph and controversy marked her career in political commentary.
Early Life and Education
Born Andreana Kostantina Tantaros on December 30, 1978, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, she emerged from a multicultural immigrant family that epitomised the American dream. Her father, Konstantinos, arrived from Greece at just 16 years old as the youngest of 14 children, whilst her mother, Barbara, brought Italian heritage to the household.
The Tantaros family owned and operated the Pied Piper Diner, where Andrea began working at the remarkably young age of eight. Tragically, the family faced profound loss when her father passed away in 2009, followed by her younger brother Daniel, who had autism, in August 2013 at age 31.
After graduating from Parkland High School in 1997, Tantaros pursued higher education at Lehigh University, where she earned degrees in French and journalism. Her academic pursuits continued at the prestigious Université de Paris (Sorbonne), where she completed her master’s degree. This contributed to her fluency in Greek, French, and Spanish.
During her university years, she gained early media experience as an intern for CNN’s Crossfire programme, where she covered the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia. Her journal entries from this period reveal an ambitious young woman who advised herself to “make yourself invaluable” and “ask questions.”
Career
Tantaros built her reputation working in senior communications roles for high-profile political figures. She served as communications director for Massachusetts Governor William Weld, where she led the media operation against former New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. Her portfolio expanded to include work with former Westchester District Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s campaign against Senator Hillary Clinton, and she served as press secretary to Republican leadership in the House of Representatives.
Her political experience included work with former National Republican Congressional Committee chairman Thomas Reynolds and deputy press secretary roles with former Congressman Pat Toomey. This background in Republican politics positioned her perfectly for her transition into conservative media.
In 2005, Tantaros demonstrated her business acumen by launching Andrea Tantaros Media in New York City. The consultancy specialised in crisis management and media strategy for Fortune 500 companies and political campaigns facing reputational challenges. Later, she joined Sloane and Company as vice president, where she continued advising clients on crisis communications, healthcare, and public affairs.
Tantaros joined Fox News in April 2010 as a political contributor. In 2011, she was named a co-host of The Five. Several months after its launch, The Five’s audience surpassed that of its competitors, MSNBC and CNN, combined. By 2013, The Five was the second-most-watched program on United States cable news.
Her sharp political commentary and confident on-screen presence made her a standout personality. In 2014, Tantaros went on to co-host Outnumbered on Fox News. The programme featured a panel of female anchors with rotating male guests, where her unapologetic conservative stance continued to attract viewers.
Sexual Harassment Controversy
Tantaros’ career changed dramatically in 2016 when she filed explosive sexual harassment allegations against Fox News. Tantaros filed formal complaints of sexual harassment against Fox News personnel. On April 25, 2016, she was pulled from the show for what Fox News said were “contract issues”. In August 2016, Tantaros filed a lawsuit claiming that she approached Fox News executives about Roger Ailes sexually harassing her in 2015.
The lawsuit painted a disturbing picture of the network’s culture, with Tantaros alleging it “operates like a sex-fueled, Playboy Mansion-like cult, steeped in intimidation, indecency and misogyny.” The lawsuit also claimed that Bill O’Reilly, Dean Cain, and Scott Brown made inappropriate comments to her, and that Brown and Cain touched her without her consent.
Despite the serious nature of her allegations, Tantaros faced significant legal challenges. However, that complaint, too, was rejected; on May 18, 2018, Judge George B. Daniels dismissed the case, citing a lack of “factual support.” Without any formal legal training, Tantaros represented herself in the case after having gone through three lawyers.
Andrea Tantaros has revived her longstanding, twice-dismissed claims against the network, filing a new case alleging she was subjected to sexual misconduct from multiple execs and on-air stars, forcible touching and groping, gender and sex discrimination, and gross and purposeful negligence.
Key Allegations
- Culture of Sexual Misconduct: Tantaros alleges Roger Ailes and his inner circle created a toxic environment where women were pressured into sexual favours in exchange for airtime or promotions.
- Personal Harassment: She claims Ailes groped and propositioned her, while senior producer John Finley demanded sexual favours in exchange for career advancement. Former senator and Fox contributor Scott Brown allegedly groped her in public.
- Retaliation: After refusing advances and filing complaints, Tantaros says she was blacklisted, smeared in the media, suspended just before her book launch, and subjected to false accusations by Fox executives.
- Surveillance & Smear Campaigns: She alleges Fox hired private investigator Bo Dietl and others to spy on her, monitor her communications, and manipulate her social media presence in a coordinated effort to discredit her.
The complaint was filed on February 27, 2025, and in August 2025, Judge Vernon S. Broderick denied Tantaros’ motion for alternative service by email. The docket further shows that the “date of last known filing” is September 16, 2025. Read more about her case here.
Tied Up in Knots
In 2016, she authored Tied Up in Knots: How Getting What We Wanted Made Women Miserable, published by Broadside Books. The book offered a provocative critique of modern feminism, arguing that contemporary women’s pursuit of equality had paradoxically led to increased unhappiness and disconnection from traditional values.
The book’s publication became mired in controversy when Tantaros’ editor, Michael Malice, sued her under his original name, Michael Krechmer, claiming that he was the ghostwriter of the book and that Tantaros had not paid him the full amount to which they had agreed. Tantaros maintained she wrote the book herself and suggested Fox News orchestrated the legal challenge as retaliation.
Personal Life
From 2015 to approximately 2017, Tantaros was romantically linked with Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro. In 2015, Us Weekly confirmed that Navarro and former Fox News anchor Andrea Tantaros were dating. According to reports, the duo began dating after being introduced by a mutual friend.
The relationship attracted media attention due to their contrasting public personas – the conservative political commentator and the rock musician. However, their romance was relatively short-lived, as they parted ways after a few months. Dave Navarro and Andrea Tantaros reportedly split in 2017 after dating for a few years.
As of 2025, Andrea Tantaros maintains a private personal life and has not publicly disclosed any romantic relationships or plans for marriage and children. She remains focused on her professional endeavours whilst keeping her private affairs away from public scrutiny.
Current Activities
Once a highly vocal presence on TV and social media, Tantaros has largely gone silent over the past five-plus years, save for some recent tweets about the Israel-Hamas war. As of 2025, Andrea Tantaros remains absent from television and public events, but she has not disappeared entirely.
Her social media presence has been sporadic, with periods of inactivity followed by occasional engagement on political topics. She was inactive on X from 2017 through 2022, but began posting again in 2023 and stayed active through late 2024, with her last known update in November.
Andrea Tantaros’s net worth is not estimated; however, her wealth primarily derives from her journalism career, book sales, political consulting work, and her time at Fox News.
