{{short description|American journalist}} {{Infobox person | name = Leland Vittert | image = Leland Vittert Headshot.jpg | caption = Vittert in 2018 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|08|31}} | birth_place = [[Illinois]], U.S. | alma_mater = [[Northwestern University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]]) | spouse = Rachel Ann Putnam (m. 2025) | occupation = Journalist, news correspondent, anchor | employer = [[NewsNation]] | relatives = [[Liberty Vittert]] (sister) }}
'''Leland Holt Vittert''' (born August 31, 1982){{citation needed|date=July 2021}} is an American journalist who is the anchor and national correspondent for [[NewsNation]]. He worked for [[Fox News]] from 2010 to 2021,<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/person/v/leland-vittert.html|title=Leland Vittert|work=Fox News|access-date=June 12, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|first=Bill|last=Husted|url=http://www.denverpost.com/2009/10/07/born-lucky-with-good-hair-and-thats-no-lie/|title=Born lucky, with good hair, and that's no lie|newspaper=[[The Denver Post]]|date=October 7, 2009|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://insider.foxnews.com/people/leland-vittert|title=Leland Vittert|date=June 12, 2017|work=[[Fox News]] Insider|access-date=June 12, 2017|language=en}}</ref> initially as a foreign correspondent based in [[Jerusalem]]<ref name="auto2">{{Cite news|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/11/egypt-coverage-creates-unforgettable-daytime-tv/|title=Egypt coverage creates unforgettable daytime TV|newspaper=[[The Washington Times]]|access-date=June 12, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=http://jburroughs.org/sites/default/files/Jan12Rep.pdf|title=Reporting Live from the Middle East|last=|first=|date=January 2012|website=|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref><ref name="auto4">{{Cite news|url=http://www.westword.com/news/leland-vittert-with-fox-31-anchors-departure-another-best-hair-winner-goes-national-5885942|title=Leland Vittert: With Fox 31 anchor's departure, another Best Hair winner goes national|last=Roberts|first=Michael|date=July 12, 2010|work=Westword|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref> and later as a [[news presenter]]. He was a substitute host on ''[[Fox & Friends]]'', ''[[America's Newsroom]]'', and ''[[Happening Now]]''.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nation.foxnews.com/2017/01/19/tune-fox-news-channels-special-live-coverage-inauguration-president-elect-donald-trump|title=TUNE IN: Fox News Channel's Special Live Coverage of the Inauguration of Donald Trump and Mike Pence, All Day Today!|date=January 19, 2017|website=FoxNation.com|language=en-US|access-date=June 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170125010140/http://nation.foxnews.com/2017/01/19/tune-fox-news-channels-special-live-coverage-inauguration-president-elect-donald-trump|archive-date=January 25, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2016/08/10/media/donald-trump-fox-news/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813221251/http://money.cnn.com/2016/08/10/media/donald-trump-fox-news/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 13, 2016|title=On Fox, Trump's gun comments become 'cat nip' for liberals|last=Kludt|first=Tom|date=August 10, 2016|website=[[CNNMoney]]|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2016/10/news-anchors-crews-rush-to-meet-hurricane-matthew-as-coast-lashing-begins-1201832152/|title=News Anchors, Crews Rush To Meet Hurricane Matthew As Coast Lashing Begins – Update|last=de Moraes|first=Lisa|date=October 6, 2016|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=June 12, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wmal.com/2017/05/12/listen-foxs-leland-vittert-previewed-president-trumps-first-foreign-trip/|title=LISTEN: Fox's LELAND VITTERT Previewed President Trump's First Foreign Trip|date=May 12, 2017|website=WMAL-AF|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Vittert was born on August 31, 1982, in St. Louis, Missouri at Barnes Hospital. Vittert earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] from the [[Medill School of Journalism]] at [[Northwestern University]], where he joined [[Theta Chi]].<ref name="auto" /><ref name="auto1" /> He also completed [[The General Course]], a one-year study abroad program at the [[London School of Economics]].<ref name="auto" /><ref name="auto1" />
In September 2025, Vittert published a memoir, ''Born Lucky'', revealing publicly that he is autistic. His father taught him to navigate his life despite his long-secret autism.
== Career == === Television reporter === [[File:LelandVittert.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Vittert in 2011|alt=]] During the 2000s, Vittert anchored the weekend news at [[KDVR|KDVR-TV]] in [[Denver, Colorado]], and was a reporter for [[WFTV-TV]] in [[Orlando, Florida]]. He was also at [[KATV|KATV-TV]] in [[Little Rock, Arkansas]], [[KNWA-TV]] in [[Fayetteville, Arkansas]], and [[WMTV|WMTV-TV]] in [[Madison, Wisconsin]].<ref name="auto" />
Vittert's coverage of the [[2015 Baltimore protests|Freddie Gray riots]] in Baltimore was praised by ''[[Mediaite]]'' and ''[[The Daily Caller]]''.<ref name="auto5">{{Cite web|first=Andrew|last=Kirell|url=http://www.mediaite.com/tv/never-treat-pressure-with-pressure-foxs-leland-vittert-talks-to-mediaite-about-his-baltimore-coverage/|title='Never Treat Pressure with Pressure': Fox's Leland Vittert Talks to Mediaite About His Baltimore Coverage|website=[[Mediaite.com]]|language=en|date=May 1, 2015|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mediaite.com/tv/fox-reporter-confronts-baltimore-mayor-and-sharpton-in-terse-exchange/|title=Fox Reporter Confronts Baltimore Mayor and Sharpton in Tense Exchange|website=[[Mediaite]]|language=en|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref><ref name="auto6">{{Cite web|first=Andrew|last=Kirell|url=http://www.mediaite.com/tv/the-worst-moment-of-foxs-baltimore-riot-coverage/|title=The Worst Moment of Fox's Baltimore Riot Coverage|website=[[Mediaite]]|language=en|date=April 28, 2015|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref> According to ''Mediaite'', Vittert "made his mark…by standing among protesters, facing a silent line of riot police, while interviewing residents and demonstrators affected by the story in various ways. He [broke] news about the Baltimore mayor's alleged stand-down orders for police, and [had] tense question-and-answer exchanges with lawmakers and public figures throughout the city."<ref name="auto5" /><ref name="auto6" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/source-baltimore-mayor-ordered-police-to-stand-down|title=Source: Baltimore Mayor Ordered Police to Stand Down During Riots|website=[[Mediaite.com]]|language=en|date=May 2, 2016|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref>
Arriving in the Middle East in 2010, Vittert began following the [[Arab Spring]].<ref name="auto2"/> In 2011, he was one of the few reporters live on the ground in Cairo's [[Tahrir Square]] on the night that Egyptian President [[Hosni Mubarak]] left power.<ref name="auto2"/> Vittert subsequently traveled to Libya during the first days of the country's revolution, where he reported on [[Muammar Gaddafi]]'s counterattack and later from the besieged city of [[Misrata|Misurata]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/4582906/?#sp=show-clips|title=Leland Vittert on Libya Latest|date=March 13, 2011|website=[[Fox News]]|language=en-US|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Fox News Insider|title=VIDEO: Fox Reporter Leland Vittert Caught in Middle of Libyan Battle|website=[[YouTube]] |date=March 7, 2011|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSLxPdjalSk|accessdate=June 12, 2017}}</ref>
Vittert covered [[Operation Pillar of Defense|Operation Pillar of Cloud]], the 2012 war between [[Israel]] and [[Hamas]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://therightscoop.com/fox-news-reporter-runs-for-cover-at-israeli-school-targeted-by-hamas-rocket/|title=Fox News reporter runs for cover at Israeli school targeted by Hamas rocket|date=November 19, 2012|work=The Right Scoop|access-date=June 12, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> He has interviewed [[Muhammad al-Zawahiri]], the brother of [[Al-Qaeda]] leader [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/1846053163001/?#sp=show-clips|title=Brother of Al Qaeda Leader al-Zawahiri Talks About Call for Anti-American Protests|date=September 17, 2012|website=[[Fox News]]|language=en-US|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/5269686848001/?#sp=show-clips|title=The failed suicide bomber who loved Leland Vittert|date=January 3, 2017|website=[[Fox News]]|language=en-US|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref>
Before coming to [[Washington, D.C.]], in 2014, Vittert spent a month in [[Eastern Ukraine]] as Russian-backed militias [[Russian military intervention in Ukraine (2014–present)|took over parts of the country]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/3537939157001/?#sp=show-clips|title=Fighting leaves six dead in Eastern Ukraine|date=May 5, 2014|website=Fox News|language=en-US|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/complete-lie-pro-russian-official-denies-role-in-mysterious-leaflets-to-ukrainian-jews/|title='Complete lie': Pro-Russian official denies role in mysterious leaflets to Ukrainian Jews|date=April 18, 2014|work=Fox News|access-date=June 12, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref>
While covering the [[George Floyd protests]] outside the [[White House]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], Vittert and his crew were attacked by protesters and later chased away from the area.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fox News reporter attacked, chased from demonstration |url=https://www.boston.com/news/media/2020/05/30/fox-news-reporter-leland-vittert-attacked-protest/|website=www.boston.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> In an interview on ''[[Cavuto Live]]'' the following day, Vittert stated that he and his crew were assaulted after a protester realized they were employed by [[Fox News]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fox News' Leland Vittert Describes "Very Frightening" Scene Near White House As Protest Targets He And His Crew|url=https://deadline.com/2020/05/fox-news-david-vittert-george-floyd-protests-white-house-lafayette-park-1202947277/|last=Johnson|first=Ted|date=May 30, 2020|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|language=en|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Journalists voice support for Fox News crew hounded by protesters: 'Unacceptable'|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/500272-journalists-voice-support-for-fox-news-crew-hounded-by-protesters-unacceptable|last=Byrnes|first=Jesse|date=May 30, 2020|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|language=en|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref>
Vittert's last on-air appearance on Fox News was in January 2021; he left the network in April 2021. A Fox News spokesperson said, "We have mutually and amicably parted ways with Leland Vittert", leaving it unclear whether he quit or was fired.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fox News Parts Ways With Anchor Leland Vittert, Off Air Since Just After Covering Capitol Riots |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/fox-news-parts-ways-anchor-223148955.html |first=Ross A. |last=Lincoln |date=April 30, 2021 |work=TheWrap}}</ref> It later emerged that he had been asked to leave by one of the Murdochs after Vittert had asked tough questions of President [[Donald Trump]].<ref>https://www.stlmag.com/news/leland-vittert-stlouis-bullying-fox-news/</ref>
On May 5, 2021, [[Nexstar Media Group|Nexstar]] announced that Vittert would join NewsNation starting May 17, 2021, as a national correspondent and anchor.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Former Fox News anchor Leland Vittert joins NewsNation - Robert Feder|url=https://www.robertfeder.com/2021/05/05/former-fox-news-anchor-leland-vittert-joins-newsnation/|access-date=2021-05-05|website=www.robertfeder.com}}</ref> On May 17, 2021, Vittert made his first appearance for NewsNation on ''[[The Donlon Report]]'' and ''[[NewsNation Prime]]''. On July 8, 2021, Nexstar announced that Vittert would anchor a primetime show called ''[[On Balance with Leland Vittert]]'' on NewsNation starting July 19, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|first=A.J.|last=Katz|title=Leland Vittert Earns His Own Primetime Show on NewsNation|url=https://adweek.it/2VdOMhC|date=July 8, 2021|access-date=July 12, 2021|website=[[Adweek]]|language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Memoir === In 2025, Vittert released a memoir, revealing for the first time his autism, a diagnosis which came very early in life. The book title references his childhood nickname, Lucky, which came from a doctor who commented on Vittert's surviving his umbilical cord wrapped twice around his neck. Vittert only began to speak at age three. He was bullied mercilessly in school; his father, Mark, actually quit his job to devote his life to getting Leland through his childhood despite the obvious challenge of being autistic. It was Mark, along with Leland's mom Carol, as well as sister Liberty, who helped him survive the situation.<ref>https://people.com/leland-vittert-describes-growing-up-with-autism-in-new-book-born-lucky-exclusive-11820507</ref><ref>https://www.stlmag.com/news/leland-vittert-stlouis-bullying-fox-news/</ref>
== Personal life == Vittert won [[Westword]]'s Best Hair on a TV Anchor Award in 2007.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto4"/> His sister, [[Liberty Vittert]], is a television chef and [[clinical professor]] of data science at the [[Olin Business School]] at [[Washington University in St. Louis]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gatewayjr.org/2012/08/31/media-mogul-mark-vittert-shuns-the-media/|title=Media mogul Mark Vittert shuns the media {{!}} Gateway Journalism Review|website=gatewayjr.org|language=en-US|access-date=June 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510173315/http://gatewayjr.org/2012/08/31/media-mogul-mark-vittert-shuns-the-media/|archive-date=May 10, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/news/archives/2016/may/headline_459362_en.html|title=University of Glasgow - MyGlasgow - MyGlasgow News - Archives (pre 2017) - 2016 - May - Meet Dr Liberty Vittert|website=Gla.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://slice.mit.edu/2016/06/24/american-cooking-on-scottish-tv-ask-the-statistics-expert/|title=American Cooking on Scottish TV? Ask the Statistics Expert|last=Smith|first=Nancy DuVergne|date=June 24, 2016|website=Slice of MIT from the MIT Alumni Association|access-date=June 12, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=October 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
He married Rachel Ann Putnam on June 7, 2025, in a ceremony officiated by a [[Universal Life Church]] minister at [[San Ysidro Ranch]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/20/style/rachel-putnam-leland-vittert-wedding.html|title=His Four-Legged Wingman Helped to Seal the Deal|website=The New York Times}}</ref> {{clear}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vittert, Leland}} [[Category:1982 births]] [[Category:21st-century American male journalists]] [[Category:21st-century American journalists]] [[Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics]] [[Category:American autistic people]] [[Category:American television news anchors]] [[Category:American writers with disabilities]] [[Category:Autistic writers]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Medill School of Journalism alumni]] [[Category:Northwestern University alumni]] [[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Television presenters with disabilities]]