Fox News Unleashes Melugin: Capitol Hill Coverage Just Got Real

Paul Riverbank, 11/21/2025Fox’s Bill Melugin brings investigative grit to Capitol Hill, set to redefine congressional reporting.

Cable news battles for “scoops” and access as fiercely as lawmakers haggle over bills. That’s nothing new. What’s different now, at least for Fox, is Melugin himself. This is a guy who built his reputation not in a quiet editing bay, but chasing leads through wildfire ash and border turmoil. Jay Wallace, Fox’s president, wasn’t shy when he touted Melugin’s credentials: “Bill’s dogged dedication to uncovering the story and deep understanding of national issues make him an excellent fit to cover the complex world of Congress,” Wallace announced. Public praise from the top usually signals real confidence, and you could almost sense the newsroom buzz through the press release.

For Melugin, this isn’t just another day at the office. He put it bluntly when news broke: reporting from Congress, with its blend of policy, power, and—increasingly—theater, is “an incredible honor.” Given his track record, it’s unlikely he’ll do things by rote. Few assignments carry the pressure—and the opportunity—of reporting from Capitol Hill, where every slip and scoop can ricochet from DC to the far corners of rural Texas or downtown Detroit.

There’s more to the story, though, than just an address change. Melugin will slot in next to Chad Pergram, a name political junkies will know. Together, they form something of a one-two punch for Fox’s politics desk—tasked with turning the day’s chaos into the sharp updates the network’s loyal audience expects. Anyone skeptical of Fox’s reach need only glance back at its recent ratings; the network topped its competitors during the last election cycle, and that momentum shows little sign of slowing.

It’s easy, sometimes, to forget how much of Fox’s audience comes for real-time drama. Melugin has delivered just that, time and again. When the nation wrestled with the southern border crisis—a story that too often faded after the first news flash—Melugin kept showing up, sometimes week after week, talking to those living the crisis rather than just the officials orchestrating the response. He earned national notice reporting live from sites most reporters avoid: burned-out firelines in California; the aftermath of tragedy in Uvalde, Texas; the solemn search for Bishop Evans, the Guardsman lost in the Rio Grande. Political reporting is often about characters, and he’s developed a nose for finding the very human edge of every event.

Those instincts weren’t honed overnight. Before joining Fox in 2021, Melugin worked the local circuit—first in El Paso at KFOX, then Charlotte at WJYZ-TV, eventually landing at LA’s KTTV-TV. He rarely left without an award under his belt: three local Emmys and a pair of Golden Mike Awards for his investigations. By the time he graduated from Arizona State’s renowned Cronkite School, newsrooms were already taking notes. It’s one thing to learn broadcast journalism in class; it’s another to stand before the camera while an entire city waits for updates that might rewrite the news cycle.

For all the résumé points, the bigger question is how Melugin’s hands-on, investigative approach will translate to the often-opaque workings of the House and Senate—institutions skilled at muddying clear narratives. He’s traded border crossings and wildfire zones for committee hearings and whip counts, but that same doggedness could uncover angles others miss. Viewers, critics, and no doubt rivals in the press gallery will watch closely. Few correspondents bring such a blend of on-the-ground reporting and proven ability to cut through noise—traits that could reshape how congressional news comes alive for millions.

If Capitol Hill sometimes seems scripted, Melugin has landed in the cast at just the right moment. With shifting alliances, legislative brawls, and the perennial spectacle of American government on display, his new assignment promises stories large and small—each with the power to shape public perception in unpredictable ways. This beat is his now, and the whole country will be watching to see what he uncovers next.

Something is stirring in Washington. Bill Melugin, whose earlier years at Fox News saw him braving the wind and grit of California’s borderlands, will soon be navigating the marble corridors of Congress as Fox News Media’s fresh congressional correspondent. The move isn’t just a title change; it plants Melugin at the center of where political currents turn into national headlines, and underscores Fox’s intent to dig deeper—right from the Capitol’s shadow.Cable news battles for “scoops” and access as fiercely as lawmakers haggle over bills. That’s nothing new. What’s different now, at least for Fox, is Melugin himself. This is a guy who built his reputation not in a quiet editing bay, but chasing leads through wildfire ash and border turmoil. Jay Wallace, Fox’s president, wasn’t shy when he touted Melugin’s credentials: “Bill’s dogged dedication to uncovering the story and deep understanding of national issues make him an excellent fit to cover the complex world of Congress,” Wallace announced. Public praise from the top usually signals real confidence, and you could almost sense the newsroom buzz through the press release.For Melugin, this isn’t just another day at the office. He put it bluntly when news broke: reporting from Congress, with its blend of policy, power, and—increasingly—theater, is “an incredible honor.” Given his track record, it’s unlikely he’ll do things by rote. Few assignments carry the pressure—and the opportunity—of reporting from Capitol Hill, where every slip and scoop can ricochet from DC to the far corners of rural Texas or downtown Detroit.There’s more to the story, though, than just an address change. Melugin will slot in next to Chad Pergram, a name political junkies will know. Together, they form something of a one-two punch for Fox’s politics desk—tasked with turning the day’s chaos into the sharp updates the network’s loyal audience expects. Anyone skeptical of Fox’s reach need only glance back at its recent ratings; the network topped its competitors during the last election cycle, and that momentum shows little sign of slowing.It’s easy, sometimes, to forget how much of Fox’s audience comes for real-time drama. Melugin has delivered just that, time and again. When the nation wrestled with the southern border crisis—a story that too often faded after the first news flash—Melugin kept showing up, sometimes week after week, talking to those living the crisis rather than just the officials orchestrating the response. He earned national notice reporting live from sites most reporters avoid: burned-out firelines in California; the aftermath of tragedy in Uvalde, Texas; the solemn search for Bishop Evans, the Guardsman lost in the Rio Grande. Political reporting is often about characters, and he’s developed a nose for finding the very human edge of every event.Those instincts weren’t honed overnight. Before joining Fox in 2021, Melugin worked the local circuit—first in El Paso at KFOX, then Charlotte at WJYZ-TV, eventually landing at LA’s KTTV-TV. He rarely left without an award under his belt: three local Emmys and a pair of Golden Mike Awards for his investigations. By the time he graduated from Arizona State’s renowned Cronkite School, newsrooms were already taking notes. It’s one thing to learn broadcast journalism in class; it’s another to stand before the camera while an entire city waits for updates that might rewrite the news cycle.For all the résumé points, the bigger question is how Melugin’s hands-on, investigative approach will translate to the often-opaque workings of the House and Senate—institutions skilled at muddying clear narratives. He’s traded border crossings and wildfire zones for committee hearings and whip counts, but that same doggedness could uncover angles others miss. Viewers, critics, and no doubt rivals in the press gallery will watch closely. Few correspondents bring such a blend of on-the-ground reporting and proven ability to cut through noise—traits that could reshape how congressional news comes alive for millions.If Capitol Hill sometimes seems scripted, Melugin has landed in the cast at just the right moment. With shifting alliances, legislative brawls, and the perennial spectacle of American government on display, his new assignment promises stories large and small—each with the power to shape public perception in unpredictable ways. This beat is his now, and the whole country will be watching to see what he uncovers next.