:en:Sean Hannity

Hannity was born in New York City, New York, the son of Lillian (née Flynn) and Hugh Hannity.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishcentral.com/news/irishvoice/sean-hannity-irish-roots-trump|title=Sean Hannity on Trump's great America|first=Debbie|last=McGoldrick|work=Irish Central|date=March 15, 2018|access-date=November 20, 2020}} Lillian worked as a stenographer and a corrections officer at a county jail, while Hugh was a World War II veteran and family-court officer.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/magazine/how-far-will-sean-hannity-go.html|title=How Far Will Sean Hannity Go?|last=Shaer|first=Matthew|date=November 28, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 29, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171129003856/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/magazine/how-far-will-sean-hannity-go.html|url-status=live|archive-date=November 29, 2017}} He was the youngest of four siblings and the only boy. All his grandparents immigrated to the United States from Ireland. He grew up in Franklin Square, New York on Long Island.

In his youth, Hannity worked as a paperboy delivering issues of the New York Daily News and the Long Island Daily Press. His parents were initially supporters of President John F. Kennedy, eventually growing more Republican in their views as time went on, though they resisted being overtly political at home.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-making-of-sean-hannity-how-a-long-island-kid-learned-to-channel-red-state-rage/2017/10/09/540cfc38-8821-11e7-961d-2f373b3977ee_story.html|title=The making of Sean Hannity: How a Long Island kid learned to channel red-state rage|last=Fisher|first=Marc|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=October 12, 2017|date=October 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012202547/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-making-of-sean-hannity-how-a-long-island-kid-learned-to-channel-red-state-rage/2017/10/09/540cfc38-8821-11e7-961d-2f373b3977ee_story.html|archive-date=October 12, 2017|url-status=live}}

Hannity attended Sacred Heart Seminary in Hempstead, New York and St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary in Uniondale, New York.{{cite magazine|url=https://licatholic.org/neighbors-in-the-news-2/|title=Neighbors in the News > Closed high school saves iconic statue|magazine=The Long Island Catholic|date=n.d.|access-date=June 3, 2020|archive-date=August 8, 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808092516/http://licatholic.org/neighbors-in-the-news-2/|url-status=live |quote=Sean Hannity is among Pius X's most well-known alumni}} He attended New York University and Adelphi University, but did not graduate from either.

File:Interview of the Vice President Dick Cheney by Sean Hannity.jpg in 2006]]

File:Vice President Pence at CPAC (49596293561).jpg in 2020]]

In 1982, Hannity started a house-painting business and a few years later, worked as a building contractor in Santa Barbara, California. He hosted his first talk radio show in 1989 at the volunteer college station at UC Santa Barbara, KCSB-FM, while working as a general contractor. The show aired for 40 hours of air time.{{cite web |url=http://wdbo.com/hannity/biography.html |title=Hannity Bio |access-date=October 13, 2008 |publisher=The Sean Hannity Show at WDBO }}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news |last1=Marshall |first1=Collin |title=Let Freeform Ring |url=https://www.independent.com/2009/11/23/let-freeform-ring/ |access-date=26 December 2023 |work=The Santa Barbara Independent |date=24 November 2009}} Regarding his first show, he said, "I wasn't good at it. I was terrible."{{cite news |title='Hannitization' Of America |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hannitization-of-america/ |website=CBS News |publisher=CBS Corporation|location=New York City|date=May 23, 2004 |access-date=October 13, 2008}}

Hannity's weekly show on KCSB was canceled after less than a year after a controversy. During two shows, gay and lesbian rights were discussed in what was considered to be a contentious manner. (See LGBT issues below.) The university board that governed the station later reversed its decision after a campaign conducted on Hannity's behalf by the Santa Barbara chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union argued that the station had discriminated against Hannity's First Amendment rights. When the station refused to issue Hannity a public apology and more airtime, he did not return to KCSB.{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Rendall |title=An Aggressive Conservative vs. a 'Liberal to be Determined' |url=http://fair.org/home/an-aggressive-conservative-vs-a-quotliberal-to-be-determinedquot/ |work=Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting |date=November–December 2003 |access-date=October 13, 2008}}

After leaving KCSB, Hannity placed an advertisement in radio publications, presenting himself as "the most talked about college radio host in America". Radio station WVNN in Athens, Alabama (part of the Huntsville media market), then hired him to be the afternoon talk show host. From Huntsville, he moved to WGST in Atlanta in 1992, filling the slot vacated by Neal Boortz, who had moved to competing station WSB. In September 1996, Fox News co-founder Roger Ailes hired the then relatively unknown Hannity to host a television program under the working title Hannity and LTBD ("liberal to be determined").{{cite web |url=http://www.alan.com/staff/alan.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061109203543/http://www.alan.com/staff/alan.htm |title=Alan Colmes |archive-date=November 9, 2006 |work=alan.com}} Alan Colmes was then hired to co-host and the show debuted as Hannity & Colmes.

Later that year, Hannity left WGST for New York, where WABC had him substitute for their afternoon drive time host during Christmas week. In January 1997, WABC put Hannity on the air full-time, giving him the late-night time slot. WABC then moved Hannity to the same drive-time slot he had filled temporarily a little more than a year earlier. Hannity was on WABC's afternoon time slot from January 1998.{{cite web |url=http://www.wabcradio.com/showdj.asp?DJID=1725 |title=Sean Hannity is a multi-media superstar, spending four hours a day every day reaching out to millions of Americans on radio, television and internet |access-date=October 13, 2008 |website=WABC |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012131347/http://www.wabcradio.com/showdj.asp?DJID=1725 |archive-date=October 12, 2008 }}

In their 2007 book Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That Is Destroying America, conservative Cal Thomas and liberal Bob Beckel describe Hannity as a leader of the pack among broadcasting political polarizers, which following James Q. Wilson they define as those who have "an intense commitment to a candidate, a culture, or an ideology that sets people in one group definitively apart from people in another, rival group".{{cite book |first1=Cal |last1=Thomas |author-link1=Cal Thomas |first2=Bob|last2=Beckel |author-link2=Bob Beckel|title=Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That Is Destroying America |publisher=William Morrow |location=New York City|year=2007 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/commongroundhowt00calt_0/page/3 3–6] |isbn=978-0-06-123634-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/commongroundhowt00calt_0/page/3 }} The WABC slot continued until the end of 2013. Since January 2014, Hannity has hosted the 3:00–6:00{{spaces}}p.m. time slot on WOR in New York City.{{cite web|url=http://nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/wor-ends-era-new-york-radio-article-1.1542179|title=WOR ends an era in New York radio and officially kicks off the new coming war with rival WABC|first=David|last=Hinckley|newspaper=New York Daily News|date=December 6, 2013|access-date=September 29, 2016|archive-date=September 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160926125702/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/wor-ends-era-new-york-radio-article-1.1542179|url-status=dead}}

File:Sean Hannity by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg in February 2015]]

Hannity's radio program is a conservative political talk show that features Hannity's opinions and ideology related to current issues and politicians. The Sean Hannity Show began national syndication on September 10, 2001, on more than five hundred stations nationwide.{{cite web |url=http://affiliates.abcradionetworks.com/press/2006releases/090806.pdf |title=Canon Communications LLC: Home |publisher=Affiliates.abcradionetworks.com |access-date=August 29, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326002949/http://affiliates.abcradionetworks.com/press/2006releases/090806.pdf |archive-date=March 26, 2009 }} In 2004, Hannity signed a $25{{spaces}}million five-year contract extension with ABC Radio (now Citadel Media) to continue the show until 2009.{{cite web |year=2006 |title=Sean Hannity Profile |url=https://wsgw.com/skin/blurb.php?sectionId=182&contentId=116798 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070811021712/http://wsgw.com/skin/blurb.php?sectionId=182&contentId=116798 |archive-date=August 11, 2007 |access-date=November 5, 2008 |publisher=WSGW}} The program was made available via Armed Forces Radio Network in 2006.{{cite web |url=http://affiliates.abcradionetworks.com/press/2006releases/010306.pdf |title=Canon Communications LLC: Home |publisher=Affiliates.abcradionetworks.com |access-date=August 29, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326002948/http://affiliates.abcradionetworks.com/press/2006releases/010306.pdf |archive-date=March 26, 2009 }} In June 2007, ABC Radio was sold to Citadel Communications{{cite press release |title=Disney and Citadel Announce Completion of ABC Radio Merger |publisher=The Walt Disney Company |date=June 12, 2007 |url=https://corporate.disney.go.com/news/corporate/2007/2007_0613_abcradiomerger.html |access-date=October 13, 2008}} and in the summer of 2008, Hannity was signed for a $100{{spaces}}million five-year contract.{{cite web |first=Katy|last=Bachmann|title=Sean Hannity Gets $100 Million Deal |website=HuffPost|location=New York City|date=July 21, 2008 |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/21/sean-hannity-gets-100-mil_n_114026.html |access-date=May 9, 2012}} As of March 2018, the program is heard by more than 13.5 million listeners a week.{{cite magazine |date=March 2018 |title=The Top Talk Radio Audiences |url=https://www.talkers.com/top-talk-audiences/ |access-date=April 23, 2018 |magazine=Talkers Magazine |publisher=Talk Media, Inc. |location=Springfield, Massachusetts}} Hannity was ranked No.{{spaces}}2 in Talkers Magazine's 2017 Heavy Hundred{{cite web | url=http://www.talkers.com/2017-talkers-heavy-hundred-1-25/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926170941/http://www.talkers.com/2017-talkers-heavy-hundred-1-25/ | archive-date=September 26, 2017 | title=2017 TALKERS Heavy Hundred 1-25 | work=Talkers Magazine|publisher=Talk Media, Inc.|location=Springfield, Massachusetts| access-date=April 23, 2018 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all | date=May 22, 2017 }} and was listed as No.{{spaces}}72 on Forbes' "Celebrity 100" list in 2013.{{Cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/person/h/sean-hannity.html|title=Sean Hannity|website=Fox News|publisher=News Corp|location=New York City|language=en-US|access-date=April 18, 2016}}

In January 2007, Clear Channel Communications signed a groupwide three-year extension with Hannity on more than eighty stations.{{cite press release |title=Clear Channel Radio Renews Sean Hannity Through 2010 |publisher=Clear Channel Communications |date=September 28, 2006 |url=http://www.clearchannel.com/Radio/PressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=1768 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004045741/http://www.clearchannel.com/Radio/PressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=1768 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 4, 2006 |access-date=October 13, 2008}}

The largest stations in the group deal included KTRH Houston, KFYI Phoenix, WPGB Pittsburgh, WKRC Cincinnati, WOOD Grand Rapids, WFLA Tampa, WOAI San Antonio, WLAC Nashville, and WREC Memphis.

Hannity signed a long-term contract to remain with Premiere Networks in September 2013.{{cite web |last=Byers |first=Dylan |date=March 12, 2013 |title=Hannity signs 'long-term' contract |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/09/hannity-signs-longterm-premiere-contract-172472.html?hp=l7 |access-date=September 12, 2013 |website=Politico |publisher=Capitol News Company |location=Arlington, Virginia}}

At the beginning of 2014, Hannity signed contracts to air on several Salem Communications stations including WDTK Detroit, WIND Chicago, WWRC (now WQOF) Washington, D.C., and KSKY Dallas.{{cite web|last=Boyce|first=Phil|title=Sean Hannity Moves to WDTK-AM 1400 in Detroit|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sean-hannity-moves-to-wdtk-am-1400-in-detroit-2014-01-14|website=MarketWatch|location=New York City|date=January 14, 2014|access-date=January 17, 2014}}

{{See also|Hannity & Colmes|l1=Hannity & Colmes|Hannity's America|l2=Hannity's America|Hannity|l3=Hannity}}

Hannity was a co-host of Hannity & Colmes, an American political "point-counterpoint"-style television program on the Fox News Channel featuring Hannity and Alan Colmes as co-hosts. Hannity presented the conservative point of view with Colmes providing the liberal viewpoint.

While Hannity's views are typically politically and socially conservative, he has spoken supportively about birth control, which has led to on-air clashes with pro-life guests such as Rev. Thomas Euteneuer, president of Human Life International.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/mar/13/20070313-111301-3197r/|title=Hannity, priest clash on doctrine|newspaper=Washington Times|publisher=News World Communications|location=Washington, D.C.|date=March 13, 2007|access-date=July 26, 2020}} Hannity said if the Catholic Church were to excommunicate him over his support for contraception, he would join Jerry Falwell's Thomas Road Baptist Church.{{cite magazine|first=Robert|last=Royal|title=Sean and Rudy's excellent adventures in moral theology|magazine=National Catholic Reporter|date=March 30, 2007|volume=43|issue=22|page=19}}

In January 2007, Hannity began a new Sunday night television show on Fox News, Hannity's America.

In November 2008, Colmes announced his departure from Hannity & Colmes. After the show's final broadcast on January 9, 2009, Hannity took over the time slot with his own new show, Hannity, which has a format similar to Hannity's America.

File:Seanhannitykingofprussia.JPG

Hannity is the author of four books. Let Freedom Ring: Winning the War of Liberty over Liberalism was published in 2002, and Deliver Us from Evil: Defeating Terrorism, Despotism, and Liberalism was published in 2004 through ReganBooks. Both these books reached the nonfiction New York Times bestseller list, the second of which stayed there for five weeks.Contemporary Authors Online, Thomson Gale, 2005.{{cite web|title=Sean Hannity Tuned Into America|url=http://affiliates.abcradionetworks.com/abcradio/seanhannitybio.pdf|date=April 2007|website=ABC Radio Networks|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807124253/http://affiliates.abcradionetworks.com/abcradio/seanhannitybio.pdf|archive-date=August 7, 2007}} Hannity has said he is too busy to write many books, and dictated a lot of his own two books into a tape recorder while driving in to do his radio show.{{cite magazine |last=Poniewozik |first=James |author2=Sean Hannity |date=November 5, 2002 |title=10 Questions for Sean Hannity |magazine=Time |location=New York City|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101021111-386927,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070125130937/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101021111-386927,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 25, 2007 |access-date=October 13, 2008}}

Hannity wrote his third book, Conservative Victory: Defeating Obama's Radical Agenda, which was released by HarperCollins in March 2010.{{cite news| url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/02/sean-hannity-to-write-book-on-defeating-obama-democrats/1 | work=USA Today | publisher=Gannett|location=Mclean, Virginia|title=Sean Hannity writes book on defeating Obama, Democrats | date=February 16, 2010 | access-date=May 23, 2010}} The book became Hannity's third New York Times Bestseller.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/books/bestseller/bestpapernonfiction.html?ref=bestseller|title=NYT Best Sellers – Paperback Nonfiction|date=April 15, 2010|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 18, 2010|first=Jennifer|last=Schuessler}}

{{Anchor|FreedomConcerts}}

In 2020, Hannity released his fourth book, Live Free or Die.{{cite news|last1=Concha |first1=Joe |title=Hannity planning first book in ten years: 'Live Free or Die' |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/495222-hannity-planning-first-book-in-ten-years-live-free-or-die/ |newspaper=The Hill |publisher=Capitol Hill Publishing|location=Washington, D.C.|date=April 29, 2020|access-date=May 5, 2020}}

• Let Freedom Ring:Winning the War of Liberty Over Liberalism, William Morrow, August 1, 2002, {{ISBN|978-0060514556}}.
• Deliver Us From Evil:Defeating Terrorism, Despotism, and Liberalism, William Morrow, February 17, 2004, {{ISBN|978-0060582517}}.
• Conservative Victory:Defeating Obama's Radical Agenda, HarperCollins, March 30, 2010, {{ISBN|978-0062003058}}.
• Live Free or Die:America (and the World) on the Brink, Threshold Editions, August 4, 2020, {{ISBN|978-1982149970}}.

From 2003 until 2010, Hannity hosted country music-themed "Freedom Concerts" to raise money for charity.{{cite news|first=David|last=Hinckley|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/hannity-bringing-freedom-concert-back-flags-article-1.560657 |title=Hannity Bringing 'Freedom' Concert to Six Flags |date=July 20, 2006 |work=New York Daily News |location=New York City|access-date=August 23, 2009 }} In 2010, conservative blogger Debbie Schlussel wrote that only a small percentage of the money raised by the concerts goes to the target charity, Freedom Alliance.{{cite web | url=https://theweek.com/articles/495654/sean-hannitys-charity-scam | title=Sean Hannity's charity 'scam' | work=The Week | publisher=The Week Publications|location=New York City|date=April 1, 2010 | access-date=April 23, 2018}} The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed complaints with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), also in 2010. The FTC complaint alleges that Hannity was "falsely promoting that all concert proceeds would be donated to a scholarship fund for the children of those killed or wounded in war".{{cite web | url=https://www.politico.com/story/2010/03/crew-flags-hannity-concert-series-035160 | title=CREW flags Hannity concert series | work=Politico | publisher=Capitol News Company|location=Arlington, Virginia|date=March 29, 2010 | access-date=April 23, 2018 | last=Dimascio | first=Jen}} The complaint filed with the IRS claims that Freedom Alliance has violated its 501(c)(3) charity status.{{cite web | url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2010/03/crew-sean-hannity-freedom-concert-freedom-alliance/ | title=Hannity's Charity Under Fire | work=Mother Jones | publisher=Foundation for National Progress|location=San Francisco, California|date=March 29, 2010 | access-date=April 23, 2018 | last=Sheppard | first=Kate}} The concerts stopped around the same year.{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/06/01/hannity-defended-trumps-handling-of-donations-to-veterans-groups-he-didnt-mention-his-personal-ties-to-one-of-them/?noredirect=on | title=Hannity defended Trump's handling of donations to veterans groups. He didn't mention his personal ties to one of them. | newspaper=The Washington Post | publisher=Nash Holdings|location=Washington, D.C.|date=June 1, 2016 | access-date=April 23, 2018 | last=Fahrenthold | first=David}}

• Hannity received a Marconi Award in 2003 and 2007 as the Network Syndicated Personality of the Year from the National Association of Broadcasters.{{cite press release |title=Sean Hannity Wins 2007 Marconi Award |publisher=Citadel Media |date=September 28, 2007 |url=http://affiliates.abcradionetworks.com/press/2007releases/092807.pdf |access-date=October 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029031453/http://affiliates.abcradionetworks.com/press/2007releases/092807.pdf |archive-date=October 29, 2008 }}
• In 2009, Talkers Magazine listed Hannity as No.{{spaces}}2 on their list of the 100 most important radio talk show hosts in America (with Rush Limbaugh listed as No.{{spaces}}1).{{cite web|url=http://talkers.com/online/?p=267 |title=Heavy Hundred |date=July–August 2009 |publisher=Talkers Magazine |page=267 |access-date=August 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100903062331/http://talkers.com/online/?p=267 |archive-date=September 3, 2010 }} The same magazine gave Hannity its Freedom of Speech Award in 2003.{{cite press release|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_Nov_29/ai_n15882509 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716032330/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_Nov_29/ai_n15882509 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 16, 2012 |title=Sean Hannity and Michael Medved Shows Come to News Talk 590 KTIE-AM |publisher=Business Wire |date=November 29, 2005 |access-date=October 16, 2008}}
• In 2005, Jerry Falwell, chancellor of the evangelical Liberty University, awarded Hannity an honorary degree.{{cite news|first=Jared |last=Pierce |title=Hannity to speak at Liberty |url=http://www.liberty.edu/academics/communications/champion/index.cfm?PID=10609&CAID=217 |work=The Liberty Champion |date=April 17, 2007 |access-date=October 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219025025/http://www.liberty.edu/academics/communications/champion/index.cfm?PID=10609&CAID=217 |archive-date=December 19, 2008 }}
• Hannity was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in November 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/sean-hannity-gets-inducted-into-the-national-radio-hall-of-fame/347308|title=Sean Hannity Gets Inducted Into the National Radio Hall of Fame|last=Katz|first=A. J.|website=TVNewser|date=November 3, 2017|access-date=April 10, 2018}}

Hannity has had cameo appearances in film and television, having a brief voiceover in The Siege as an unseen reporter, and appearing in Atlas Shrugged: Part II and the second season of House of Cards as himself.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sean-hannity-has-atlas-shrugged-378083|title=Sean Hannity Making Film Debut in 'Atlas Shrugged: Part II'|first=Paul|last=Bond|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=October 10, 2012|access-date=November 20, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2014/02/sean-hannity-plugs-his-cameo-on-netflixs-house-of-cards-second-season-685001/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219223055/http://deadline.com/2014/02/sean-hannity-plugs-his-cameo-on-netflixs-house-of-cards-second-season-685001/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 19, 2015|title=Sean Hannity Plugs His Cameo On Netflix's 'House Of Cards' In Season 2|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=February 18, 2014|access-date=November 20, 2020}} He executive produced and appeared in the 2017 film Let There Be Light, which also stars Kevin Sorbo.{{cite web |url= https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-mini-let-there-be-light-review-20171026-story.html |title= Review: Sean Hannity and Kevin Sorbo join forces in the Christian reckoning drama 'Let There Be Light' |first= Gary|last=Goldstein |date= October 26, 2017 |work=Los Angeles Times|access-date= October 27, 2017 }}

As of April 2018, Hannity owned at least 877 residential properties, which were bought for nearly $89{{spaces}}million.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/apr/22/michael-cohen-sean-hannity-property-real-estate-ben-carson-hud|title=Michael Cohen case shines light on Sean Hannity's property empire|last=Swaine|first=Jon|date=April 23, 2018|work=The Guardian|location=London, England|access-date=April 28, 2018}}{{cite web |last1=Gstalter |first1=Morgan |title=Sean Hannity linked to shell companies that spent $90M on property: report |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/384366-hannity-hud-shell-companies-report/ |newspaper=The Hill|publisher=Capitol Hill Publishing|location=Washington, D.C.|date=April 22, 2018|access-date=December 19, 2019}} He purchased some of the homes with the help of loans from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and most are in working-class neighborhoods.{{cite web |first1=Matt|last1=Pearce |first2=Jenny|last2=Jarvie|title=In Georgia, Sean Hannity is just another landlord hiking the rent |url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-hannity-landlord-20180427-story.html |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|date=April 17, 2018|access-date=December 19, 2019}} His property managers have taken an aggressive management approach with a much higher than average eviction rate. The Washington Post reported that his property management team has used eviction proceedings both to remove tenants and to generate revenue. His property managers have claimed that Hannity has no active role in the management of the more than 1,000 properties he has a stake in.{{cite news|first1=Shawn|last1=Boburg |first2=Aaron C.|last2=Davis|title=At Sean Hannity properties in working-class areas, an aggressive approach to rent collection |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/at-hannitys-properties-in-low-income-areas-an-aggressive-approach-to-rent-collection/2018/05/10/964be4a2-4eea-11e8-84a0-458a1aa9ac0a_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 10, 2018|access-date=December 19, 2019}}

{{overly detailed|section|date=July 2023}}

According to The Washington Post, Hannity "repeatedly embraces storylines that prove to be inaccurate" and takes positions that change over time. In the opinion of The New York Times, Hannity is "barreling headfirst into the murky territory between opinion and out-and-out conspiracy theorism". Hannity often promotes conspiracy theories without explicitly endorsing them, unlike Alex Jones. The New York Times wrote that this "has the effect of nourishing the more wild-eyed beliefs of his fans while providing Hannity a degree of plausible deniability". The New Yorker wrote in 2019 that Hannity had "[spewed] baseless conspiracy theories with impunity".{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/03/11/the-making-of-the-fox-news-white-house|title=The Making of the Fox News White House|last=Mayer|first=Jane|magazine=The New Yorker|date=March 4, 2019|access-date=March 4, 2019|language=en|issn=0028-792X}}

During the Bush years, Hannity "loyally supported the president's policies". During the Obama administration, Hannity "leaned more heavily on stories he believed were being given short shrift by the 'liberal media'{{snd}}stories about where Obama was born, and who deserved blame for the attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya". In 2017, The Washington Post wrote that "what Hannity has stood for{{snd}}at least for the past couple of years{{snd}}is Trump."

File:Donald Trump & Sean Hannity (16677778952).jpg in 2015]]

Hannity is known for his pro-Trump coverage.{{Cite news |first=Jason|last=Schwartz|url= https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/09/fox-news-trump-presidency-244712 |title= Fox, facing new competitors, clings tighter to Trump |work=Politico |publisher=Capitol News Company|location=Arlington, Virginia|access-date= November 9, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171109114104/https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/09/fox-news-trump-presidency-244712 |archive-date= November 9, 2017|url-status= live }} According to The Washington Post, "Hannity's comeback coincided with his early, eager embrace of his fellow New Yorker{{spaces}}... Trump attacked the Gold Star father, and Hannity stood by him. Trump went after a federal judge of Mexican descent, and Hannity backed him. After the Access Hollywood tape emerged of Trump making lewd comments about inappropriate sexual behaviour towards women, Hannity continued to defend him: 'King David had 500 concubines, for crying out loud.'" After the inauguration, the first interview the new president gave to a cable news channel was conducted by Hannity. Hannity additionally defended the Trump administration's false claim that Trump's inauguration crowd was the biggest ever.

Hannity has been criticized as being overly favorable to the candidacy of Trump and granting him more airtime than other presidential candidates during the 2016 primaries.{{cite web |title=How Sean Hannity Became Influential In Conservative Media And Politics |url=https://www.tpr.org/post/how-sean-hannity-became-influential-conservative-media-and-politics |website=tpr.org |date=December 19, 2016 |access-date=February 25, 2020}} Hannity, for instance, let Trump promote the false claim that Rafael Cruz, father of Trump's rival presidential candidate Ted Cruz, was involved in the John F. Kennedy assassination. He admitted to favoring Republican candidates, though without indicating a preference for Donald Trump over Ted Cruz.{{Cite web|last=Byers|first=Dylan |author-link=Dylan Byers| date = May 2, 2016 | url = https://money.cnn.com/2016/05/02/media/sean-hannity-donald-trump-profile/ | title = Sean Hannity embraces Donald Trump, without apology | work = CNN | publisher=Turner Broadcasting Systems|location=Atlanta, Georgia|access-date =February 20, 2019| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180716025338/https://money.cnn.com/2016/05/02/media/sean-hannity-donald-trump-profile/ | archive-date =July 16, 2018| url-status = live }}. According to Dylan Byers of CNN, Hannity during interviews "frequently cites areas where he agrees with Trump, or where he thinks Trump was right about something, then asks him to expand on it", and "often ignores or defends Trump from criticism".

Tensions between Cruz and Hannity appeared to reach a boiling point during a contentious April 2016 radio interview, during which Cruz implied Hannity was a "hardcore Donald Trump supporter" and Hannity responded by accusing Cruz of "throw[ing] this in my face" every time he asked a "legitimate question".{{Cite web| date = April 19, 2016 | url = http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/04/19/ted-cruz-and-sean-hannity-finally-duke-it-out.html | title = Ted Cruz and Sean Hannity Finally Duke It Out | website = The Daily Beast| publisher=IBT Media|location=New York City|last1 = Kirell | first1 = Andrew | access-date =February 20, 2019| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161222144129/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/04/19/ted-cruz-and-sean-hannity-finally-duke-it-out.html | archive-date = December 22, 2016| url-status = live }}. Jim Rutenberg commented in August 2016 that Hannity is "not only Mr. Trump's biggest media booster; he also veers into the role of adviser," citing sources who said Hannity spent months offering suggestions to Trump and his campaign on strategy and messaging. Hannity responded to the report by saying, "I'm not hiding the fact that I want Donald Trump to be the next President of the United States.{{spaces}}... I never claimed to be a journalist."{{cite web |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/22/business/media/sean-hannity-turns-adviser-in-the-service-of-donald-trump.html |title= Sean Hannity Turns Adviser in the Service of Donald Trump |last= Rutenberg |first= Jim |date= August 21, 2016 |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 20, 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190114150953/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/22/business/media/sean-hannity-turns-adviser-in-the-service-of-donald-trump.html |archive-date= January 14, 2019|url-status= live }} (In an article published in December 2017, Hannity said "I'm a journalist. But I'm an advocacy journalist, or an opinion journalist.") Hannity also appeared in a 2016 Trump campaign ad.{{Cite news |last=Bump |first=Philip |date=April 29, 2022 |title=Analysis {{!}} Sean Hannity is exactly who we might have assumed |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/29/sean-hannity-is-exactly-who-we-might-have-assumed/ |access-date=December 16, 2022 |issn=0190-8286}} Hannity has feuded with several conservatives who oppose Trump, including National Review{{'}}s Jonah Goldberg,{{cite web|first=Nick|last=Gass|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/sean-hannity-jonah-goldberg-twitter-war-227819|title=Hannity and National Review's Jonah Goldberg get into epic Twitter battle|work=Politico|publisher=Capitol News Company|location=Arlington, Virginia|date=September 7, 2016|access-date=September 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005180905/http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/sean-hannity-jonah-goldberg-twitter-war-227819|archive-date=October 5, 2016|url-status=live}}{{cite web |first= Oliver |last= Darcy |url= http://www.businessinsider.com/sean-hannity-jonah-goldberg-trump-2016-9 |title= Sean Hannity and National Review's Jonah Goldberg get into heated Twitter fight over Donald Trump |work=Business Insider |location=New York City|date= September 7, 2016 |access-date= September 29, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160909160730/http://www.businessinsider.com/sean-hannity-jonah-goldberg-trump-2016-9 |archive-date=September 9, 2016|url-status= live }} Wall Street Journal foreign affairs columnist Bret Stephens,{{cite web |first= Nick |last= Gass |url= http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/sean-hannity-bret-stephens-feud-226714 |title= Hannity to WSJ editor: If Clinton wins, 'I will hold a-holes like you accountable' |work=Politico |publisher=Capitol News Company|location=Arlington, Virginia|date= August 5, 2016 |access-date= September 29, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160928041003/http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/sean-hannity-bret-stephens-feud-226714 |archive-date= September 28, 2016|url-status= live }} and National Review editor Rich Lowry.{{cite web |first= Paulina |last= Firozi |url= https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/295312-hannity-feuds-with-national-review-editor-on-twitter/ |title= Hannity feuds with National Review editor on Twitter |work=The Hill |publisher=Capitol Hill Publishing|location=Washington D.C.|date= September 10, 2016 |access-date= September 29, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160918070533/http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/295312-hannity-feuds-with-national-review-editor-on-twitter |archive-date= September 18, 2016|url-status= live }}

Hannity developed a close relationship with Trump during the election and became even closer during his presidency. The two men spoke on the phone multiple times a week, discussing Hannity's weekday show, the special counsel investigation, even evaluating White House staff.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hannitys-rising-role-in-trumps-world-he-basically-has-a-desk-in-the-place/2018/04/17/e2483018-4260-11e8-8569-26fda6b404c7_story.html|title=Hannity's rising role in Trump's world: 'He basically has a desk in the place'|last1=Costa|first1=Robert|date=April 17, 2018|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=April 28, 2018|last2=Ellison|first2=Sarah|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286|last3=Dawsey|first3=Josh|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180427210202/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hannitys-rising-role-in-trumps-world-he-basically-has-a-desk-in-the-place/2018/04/17/e2483018-4260-11e8-8569-26fda6b404c7_story.html|archive-date=April 27, 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/05/sean-hannity-donald-trump-late-night-calls.html|title=The Strange Cocoon of Trump and Hannity, Two Friends Who Like to Talk Before Bed|last=Nuzzi|first=Olivia|work=Daily Intelligencer|access-date=May 14, 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514014528/http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/05/sean-hannity-donald-trump-late-night-calls.html|archive-date=May 14, 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news | first1 = Noah | last1 = Bierman | first2 = Cathleen | last2 = Decker | first3 = Brian | last3 = Bennett | url = https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-kelly-20171010-story.html | title = Trump unleashes himself from would-be handlers, lashing out mornings, nights and weekends | newspaper = Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles, California|date = October 10, 2017 | access-date = February 20, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181214014010/https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-kelly-20171010-story.html | archive-date = December 14, 2018 | url-status = live }}. Hannity shares, The Economist asserts, "Mr. Trump's love of conspiracy theories and hatred of snooty elites".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21740777-michael-cohen-has-all-best-clients-sean-hannity-shares-lot-donald-trump|title=Sean Hannity shares a lot with Donald Trump, including an attorney|date=April 19, 2018|magazine=The Economist|location=London, England|access-date=April 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421001923/https://economist.com/news/united-states/21740777-michael-cohen-has-all-best-clients-sean-hannity-shares-lot-donald-trump|archive-date=April 21, 2018|url-status=live}} They speak so often that one Trump adviser has said Hannity "basically has a desk in the place". On the air, Hannity echoes Trump's attacks on the media and Special Counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/16/hannity-michael-cohen-fbi-raid-526860|title=Fox's Hannity, named as a client of Michael Cohen, spent days attacking FBI raid|last=Lima|first=Cristiano|date=April 16, 2018|work=Politico|publisher=Capitol News Company|location=Arlington, Virginia|access-date=April 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421094345/https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/16/hannity-michael-cohen-fbi-raid-526860|archive-date=April 21, 2018|url-status=live}} Trump sometimes quotes Hannity to others or promotes the show to his Twitter followers. Hannity has encouraged Trump to shut down the government to get funding for a border wall, as well as his declaration of a national emergency over the US–Mexico border.

According to reports by the Los Angeles Times and New York magazine, Hannity frequently talks to Trump by telephone after Hannity's weekday broadcasts,{{cite web | url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/05/sean-hannity-donald-trump-late-night-calls.html | title=Donald Trump and Sean Hannity Like to Talk Before Bedtime | work=New York | publisher=New York Media|location=New York City|date=May 14, 2018 | access-date=May 14, 2018 | last1=Nuzzi | first1=Olivia | last2=Darrow | first2=Joe | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514014528/http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/05/sean-hannity-donald-trump-late-night-calls.html | archive-date=May 14, 2018| url-status=live }} and Hannity is one of several dozen cleared callers whose calls to the White House public switchboard can be connected directly to the president.

Hannity stirred controversy in April 2018 when it was revealed that he shared a lawyer, Michael Cohen, with Trump. In a breach of journalistic ethics, Hannity had failed to disclose that Cohen was his lawyer while at the same time taking to the Fox airwaves to defend Cohen and criticize those who investigated him.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/business/media/sean-hannity-fox-news.html|title=No Disclosure? No Problem. Sean Hannity Gets a Pass at Fox News.|last1=Grynbaum|first1=Michael M.|date=April 17, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 28, 2018|last2=Koblin|first2=John|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180427010532/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/business/media/sean-hannity-fox-news.html|archive-date=April 27, 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/17/sean-hannity-fox-news-full-support-michael-cohen-528948|title=Cohen controversy tests Hannity's Teflon Sean reputation|work=Politico|first=Cristiano|last=Lima|publisher=Capitol News Company|location=Arlington, Virginia|date=April 17, 2018|access-date=April 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429092537/https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/17/sean-hannity-fox-news-full-support-michael-cohen-528948|archive-date=April 29, 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/16/sean-hannity-cohen-attorney-trump-527897|title=Hannity's ethics under fire|work=Politico|first=Michael|last=Calderone|publisher=Capitol News Company|location=Arlington, Virginia|date=April 16, 2018|access-date=April 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180427165830/https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/16/sean-hannity-cohen-attorney-trump-527897|archive-date=April 27, 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/17/watchdogs-attack-sean-hannity-for-hiding-link-to-trump-lawyer-cohen.html|title=Fox News gives Sean Hannity 'full support' as critics slam him for hiding link to Trump lawyer|last=Breuninger|first=Kevin|date=April 17, 2018|work=CNBC|access-date=April 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429092044/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/17/watchdogs-attack-sean-hannity-for-hiding-link-to-trump-lawyer-cohen.html|archive-date=April 29, 2018|url-status=live}}

On April 9, 2018, federal agents from the U.S. Attorney's office served a search warrant on the office and residence of Michael Cohen, Trump's personal attorney.{{cite web |last1=Strobel |first1=Warren |last2=Walcott |first2=John |title=FBI raids offices, home of Trump's personal lawyer: sources |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-cohen-raid/fbi-raids-offices-home-of-trumps-personal-lawyer-sources-idUSKBN1HG336 |work=Reuters |access-date=April 10, 2018 |date=April 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410012921/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-cohen-raid/fbi-raids-offices-home-of-trumps-personal-lawyer-sources-idUSKBN1HG336 |archive-date=April 10, 2018 |url-status=live }} On the air, Hannity defended Cohen and criticized the federal action, calling it "highly questionable" and "an unprecedented abuse of power".{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-wants-review-some-materials-seized-cohen-fbi-raid-n866226|title=Fox News host Sean Hannity revealed as Michael Cohen's mystery client|last1=Winter|first1=Tom|last2=Edelman|first2=Adam|date=April 16, 2018|work=NBC News|access-date=April 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180416122620/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-wants-review-some-materials-seized-cohen-fbi-raid-n866226|archive-date=April 16, 2018|url-status=live}} On April 16, 2018, in a court hearing, Cohen's lawyers told the judge that Cohen had ten clients in 2017–2018 but did "traditional legal tasks" for only three: Trump, Elliott Broidy, and a "prominent person" who did not wish to be named for fear of being "embarrassed".{{cite news|last1=Pierson|first1=Brendan|last2=Freifeld|first2=Karen|last3=Stempel|first3=Jonathan|title=Fox's Hannity revealed as mystery client of Trump's personal lawyer|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-cohen/foxs-hannity-revealed-as-mystery-client-of-trumps-personal-lawyer-idUSKBN1HN12G|work=Reuters|date=April 17, 2018 |access-date=April 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418020458/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-cohen/foxs-hannity-revealed-as-mystery-client-of-trumps-personal-lawyer-idUSKBN1HN12G|archive-date=April 18, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Feuer|first1=Alan|last2=Grynbaum|first2=Michael|last3=Koblin|first3=John|title=Sean Hannity Is Named as Client of Michael Cohen, Trump's Lawyer|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/business/media/sean-hannity-michael-cohen-client.html|work=The New York Times|date=April 16, 2018 |access-date=April 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417195139/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/business/media/sean-hannity-michael-cohen-client.html|archive-date=April 17, 2018|url-status=live}} The federal judge ordered the revelation of the third client, whom Cohen's lawyers named as Hannity. Although Hannity has covered Cohen on his show, he did not disclose that he had consulted with Cohen.{{cite news|url=http://observer.com/2018/04/fox-news-sean-hannity-downplay-michael-cohen-relationship/|title=Fox News and Sean Hannity Downplay Host's Relationship With Attorney Michael Cohen|last=Richardson|first=Davis|date=April 16, 2018|work=The Observer|access-date=April 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417105818/http://observer.com/2018/04/fox-news-sean-hannity-downplay-michael-cohen-relationship/|archive-date=April 17, 2018|url-status=live}}

Fox News released a statement on April 16, 2018, attributed to Hannity: "Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter. I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees. I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective. I assumed those conversations were confidential, but to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third party."{{cite news|last1=Borchers|first1=Callum|title=The gaping hole in Sean Hannity's story about being Michael Cohen's client|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/04/16/the-gaping-hole-in-sean-hannitys-story-about-being-michael-cohens-client/?noredirect=on|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=April 16, 2018|access-date=April 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423033629/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/04/16/the-gaping-hole-in-sean-hannitys-story-about-being-michael-cohens-client/?noredirect=on|archive-date=April 23, 2018|url-status=live}} Also, NBC News quoted Hannity as saying: "We definitely had attorney–client privilege because I asked him for that,"{{cite web|last1=Edelman|first1=Adam|last2=Winter|first2=Tom|title=Fox News host Sean Hannity revealed as Michael Cohen's mystery client|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-wants-review-some-materials-seized-cohen-fbi-raid-n866226|website=NBC News|access-date=April 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180416234249/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-wants-review-some-materials-seized-cohen-fbi-raid-n866226|archive-date=April 16, 2018|url-status=live}} while Hannity said on his radio show that he "might have handed him ten bucks" for the attorney-client privilege.{{cite web|last1=Miller|first1=Hayley|last2=Blumberg|first2=Antonia|title=Identity Of Michael Cohen's 'Mystery' Client Revealed As Sean Hannity|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/michael-cohen-sean-hannity_us_5ad4ef98e4b016a07e9f6410|work=HuffPost|date=April 16, 2018 |access-date=April 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180416231924/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/michael-cohen-sean-hannity_us_5ad4ef98e4b016a07e9f6410|archive-date=April 16, 2018|url-status=live}} Lastly, Hannity tweeted that his discussions with Cohen were "almost exclusively" about real estate.{{cite web|last1=Samuels|first1=Brett|title=Hannity downplays connection to Trump's personal lawyer|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/383417-hannity-downplays-connection-to-trumps-personal-lawyer/|work=The Hill|date=April 16, 2018 |access-date=April 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418031520/http://thehill.com/homenews/media/383417-hannity-downplays-connection-to-trumps-personal-lawyer|archive-date=April 18, 2018|url-status=live}}

The following day, news reports revealed that Hannity had shared another lawyer with Trump, Jay Sekulow. Sekulow had written a cease-and-desist letter to KFAQ on Hannity's behalf in May 2017, and later represented Trump in connection with the Mueller investigation.{{cite web|last1=Gray|first1=Rosie|title=Sean Hannity's Ties to Two More Trump-Connected Lawyers|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/04/sean-hannity/558272/|work=The Atlantic|date=April 17, 2018 |access-date=April 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417235448/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/04/sean-hannity/558272/|archive-date=April 17, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Report: Sean Hannity used two other Trump-connected lawyers|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/report-sean-hannity-used-two-other-trump-connected-lawyers/|website=CBS News|date=April 17, 2018 |access-date=April 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418032454/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/report-sean-hannity-used-two-other-trump-connected-lawyers/|archive-date=April 18, 2018|url-status=live}}

In August 2018, Hannity allowed Sekulow and Rudy Giuliani, another personal lawyer for Trump, to host Hannity's radio show; the duo proceeded to defend Trump and promote arguments made by the Trump administration.{{cite web |last1=Boboltz |first1=Sara |title=Sean Hannity Just Let Trump's Lawyers Host His Radio Show |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sean-hannity-is-letting-trumps-lawyers-host-his-radio-show_us_5b6d9441e4b0ae32af978334 |website=HuffPost |date=August 10, 2018 |access-date=August 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824224858/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sean-hannity-is-letting-trumps-lawyers-host-his-radio-show_us_5b6d9441e4b0ae32af978334 |archive-date=August 24, 2018 |url-status=live }}

In June 2019, Hannity expressed outrage at Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's comment that she would like to see Trump "in prison". Hannity declared: "Based on no actual crimes, she wants a political opponent locked up in prison? That happens in banana republics{{snd}}beyond despicable behavior." Aaron Rupar of Vox criticized Hannity for "obvious hypocrisy", noting that Hannity himself had said in January 2018 regarding Hillary Clinton: "I think Hillary should be in jail. Lock her up."{{cite web |last1=Rupar |first1=Aaron |title=Hannity: "Hillary should be in jail." Also Hannity: Locking up Trump would be "beyond despicable." |url=https://www.vox.com/2019/6/7/18656356/hannity-lock-them-up-pelosi-trump |website=Vox |date=June 7, 2019|access-date=June 8, 2019}} Aaron Blake of The Washington Post described Hannity's comment as "a pretty obvious bit of gaslighting", noting Hannity's loyalty to Trump, whose campaign rallies have featured chants of "Lock her up", and also Hannity's comments that Trump was free to investigate Clinton.{{cite news|last1=Blake |first1=Aaron |title=Parsing Sean Hannity's incredible flip-flop on jailing political opponents |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/06/07/parsing-sean-hannitys-incredible-flip-flop-jailing-political-opponents |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 7, 2019|access-date=June 8, 2019}}

Hannity played the most important role in persuading Trump to pardon the convicted murderer and war criminal Clint Lorance.{{Cite news|last=Jaffe|first=Greg|date=July 2, 2020|title=For the forgotten men of 1st Platoon, Trump's pardon of an officer they helped convict of murder is a crushing betrayal|url=https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/For-the-forgotten-men-of-1st-Platoon-Trump-s-15381879.php|access-date=July 4, 2020|newspaper=The Laredo Morning Times}}

After Trump lost the 2020 election, Hannity sent a number of text messages offering advice to Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, including a message apparently suggesting a joint "NC Real estate" venture with him.{{Cite web |first1=Jamie |last1=Gangel |first2=Jeremy |last2=Herb |first3=Elizabeth |last3=Stuart |first4=Brian |last4=Stelter |date=April 29, 2022 |title=CNN Exclusive: New text messages reveal Fox's Hannity advising Trump White House and seeking direction {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/29/politics/hannity-text-messages-meadows-trump-white-house/index.html |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=CNN|language=en}}

In October 2023, a staffer on his show emailed Republican lawmakers asking why they weren't supporting Representative Jim Jordan, Donald Trump's choice for House Speaker to replace Representative Kevin McCarthy.{{Cite web |last=Mascaro |first=Lisa |date=2023-10-16 |title=GOP's Jim Jordan is shoring up support and peeling off detractors ahead of a House speaker vote |url=https://apnews.com/article/jim-jordan-house-speaker-mccarthy-trump-0b92b9a88864dcbc9edcba94aede74f3 |access-date=2023-10-19 |website=AP News |language=en |quote=A major pressure campaign from Trump allies including Steve Bannon and Fox News’ Sean Hannity has helped build support [for Jordan].}}{{Cite web |last=Moran |first=Lee |date=2023-10-18 |title=Chris Hayes Openly Laughs At Sean Hannity's Latest Stunt |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/chris-hayes-sean-hannity-jim-jordan_n_652f9394e4b00565b621fc8c |access-date=2023-10-19 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}

During the 2016 presidential election, Hannity periodically promoted conspiracy theories regarding Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party.{{Cite news|first=David|last=Weigel|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/08/11/in-prime-time-sean-hannity-carries-out-a-clinton-medical-investigation/|title=In prime time, Sean Hannity carries out a Clinton medical 'investigation'|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=August 11, 2016|access-date=February 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209235320/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/08/11/in-prime-time-sean-hannity-carries-out-a-clinton-medical-investigation/|archive-date=February 9, 2019|url-status=live|author-link=David Weigel}}{{Cite news|first=Rebecca|last=Morin|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/hannity-responds-to-stelter-criticism-on-twitter-226773|title=Hannity, Stelter swap criticism over conspiracy theories|date=August 7, 2016|newspaper=Politico|access-date=February 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109204838/https://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/hannity-responds-to-stelter-criticism-on-twitter-226773|archive-date=November 9, 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2016/8/18/12505078/hillary-clinton-health-stroke-conspiracy-fake|title=Here's how we know the bonkers conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton's health is catching on|last=Golshan|first=Tara|date=August 18, 2016|website=Vox|access-date=February 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106112555/https://www.vox.com/2016/8/18/12505078/hillary-clinton-health-stroke-conspiracy-fake|archive-date=January 6, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/05/20/the-seth-rich-conspiracy-shows-how-fake-news-still-works/|title=Analysis {{!}} The Seth Rich conspiracy shows how fake news still works|newspaper=The Washington Post|first=David|last=Weigel|date=May 20, 2017|access-date=May 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170520234833/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/05/20/the-seth-rich-conspiracy-shows-how-fake-news-still-works/|archive-date=May 20, 2017|url-status=live}} Hannity repeatedly claimed that Clinton had very serious medical problems and that the media was covering them up.{{Cite web|first=Susan|last=Milligan|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-08-15/hillarys-health-conspiracy-or-concern|title=Hillary's Health: Conspiracy or Concern?|work=U.S. News & World Report|date=August 15, 2016|access-date=February 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181229204101/https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-08-15/hillarys-health-conspiracy-or-concern|archive-date=December 29, 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|first=Brian|last=Stelter|title=Sean Hannity peddling debunked Clinton story|url=https://edition.cnn.com/videos/tv/2016/08/14/hannity-pushes-debunked-clinton-theory.cnn|work=Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter|publisher=CNN|date=August 14, 2016|access-date=February 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180925121620/https://edition.cnn.com/videos/tv/2016/08/14/hannity-pushes-debunked-clinton-theory.cnn|archive-date=September 25, 2018|url-status=live}} He misrepresented photos of Clinton to give the impression that she had secret medical problems. He shared a photo from the fake news site Gateway Pundit and falsely claimed that it showed her Secret Service agent holding a diazepam pen intended to treat seizures, when he in fact was holding a small flashlight. He booked doctors on his show to discuss Clinton's health; although these people had never personally examined Clinton, they made alarmist statements about her state of health which turned out to be false. At one point, Hannity promoted an unsubstantiated report that Clinton had been drunk at a rally; at another point, he suggested that Clinton was drunk and that her campaign needed to "sober her up".{{Cite news|first=Oliver|last=Darcy|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/sean-hannity-hillary-clinton-conspiracy-drunk-2016-10?r=US&IR=T|title=Sean Hannity promotes conspiracy theory Clinton was drunk at rally, then claims he didn't mean to do so|work=Business Insider|date=October 31, 2016|language=en|access-date=February 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224222329/https://www.businessinsider.com/sean-hannity-hillary-clinton-conspiracy-drunk-2016-10?r=US&IR=T|archive-date=December 24, 2018|url-status=live}}

Although Hannity said he believed President Obama was born in the U.S., to answer queries on Obama's citizenship, he repeatedly called on Obama to release his birth certificate.{{Cite news |last1=Wallsten |first1=Paul |last2=Thompson |first2=Kryssah |date=April 19, 2011 |title=Top Republicans try to scotch birther theories |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/top-republican-try-to-scotch-birther-theories/2011/04/19/AFsrhU8D_story.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222194249/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/top-republican-try-to-scotch-birther-theories/2011/04/19/AFsrhU8D_story.html |archive-date=February 22, 2017}}{{Cite news |last=Stelter |first=Brian |date=April 27, 2011 |title='Birthers' Fanned Flames of Conspiracy for Years |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/28/business/media/28birth.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405122718/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/28/business/media/28birth.html |archive-date=April 5, 2017 |issn=0362-4331}} Hannity described the circumstances regarding Obama's birth certificate as "odd". Hannity also defended and promoted those who questioned Obama's citizenship of the U.S., such as Donald Trump. Hannity invited Trump to his show while Trump was a leader in the birther movement; during an interview with Hannity, Trump said Obama "could have easily have come from Kenya, or someplace". Hannity said in response, "The issue could go away in a minute. Just show the certificate." Even after Obama produced his birth certificate in 2008, certified by the state of Hawaii, Hannity kept calling on Obama to release his birth certificate, asking why did he not "just produce it and we move on?"{{Cite news |last=Hunt |first=Albert R. |date=May 1, 2011 |title=A Lie Is Born, and We All Know Where |newspaper=The New York Times |agency=Bloomberg |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/us/02iht-letter02.html |url-status=live |url-access=registration |access-date=February 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222113610/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/us/02iht-letter02.html |archive-date=February 22, 2017 |issn=0362-4331}} In October 2016, Hannity offered to purchase a one-way ticket to Kenya for Obama.{{Cite web |last=Lima |first=Christiano |date=October 25, 2016 |title=Hannity offers to pay for Obama to go to Kenya |url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/hannity-obama-kenya-birthers-230317 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222111657/http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/hannity-obama-kenya-birthers-230317 |archive-date=February 22, 2017 |access-date=February 21, 2017 |website=Politico |publisher=Capitol News Company |location=Arlington, Virginia}}

In May 2017, Hannity became a prominent promoter of the conspiracy theory that Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party had a DNC staffer killed.{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fox-news-conspiracy-theory-wikileaks-seth-rich_us_591b493ee4b07d5f6ba6d027|title=Fox Pushes WikiLeaks Murder Conspiracy From Man Who Warned Of Armed Lesbian Pedophiles|last=Waldron|first=Travis|date=May 16, 2017|work=HuffPost|access-date=May 16, 2017|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517054751/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fox-news-conspiracy-theory-wikileaks-seth-rich_us_591b493ee4b07d5f6ba6d027|archive-date=May 17, 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=http://forward.com/fast-forward/372104/sean-hannity-im-looking-into-seth-richs-suspicious-death/|title=Sean Hannity: I'm 'Looking Into' Seth Rich's 'Suspicious' Death|work=The Forward|first=Daniel J.|last=Solomon|access-date=May 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516235150/http://forward.com/fast-forward/372104/sean-hannity-im-looking-into-seth-richs-suspicious-death/|archive-date=May 16, 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/how-the-pro-trump-media-responds-to-a-crisis-in-just-4-steps|title=How The Pro-Trump Media Responds To A Crisis In Just 4 Steps|work=BuzzFeed News|first=Charlie|last=Warzel|access-date=May 17, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517052108/https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/how-the-pro-trump-media-responds-to-a-crisis-in-just-4-steps|archive-date=May 17, 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-1.789915|title=Explained // 'Alt-right' Using Cruel Seth Rich Conspiracy Theory to Deflect From Trump's Russia Scandal|last=Sommer|first=Allison Kaplan|date=May 17, 2017|work=Haaretz|access-date=May 17, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517173820/http://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-1.789915|archive-date=May 17, 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/05/22/the-seth-rich-conspiracys-biggest-myths-explained/|title=Analysis {{!}} The Seth Rich conspiracy's biggest myths, explained|newspaper=The Washington Post|first=David|last=Weigel|access-date=May 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170523013951/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/05/22/the-seth-rich-conspiracys-biggest-myths-explained/|archive-date=May 23, 2017|url-status=live}} Shortly afterward, he faced backlash from news sources across the political spectrum and lost several advertisers, including Crowne Plaza Hotels, Cars.com, Leesa Mattress, USAA, Peloton and Casper Sleep deciding to pull their marketing from his program on Fox News.{{citation|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-hannity-advertisers-fox-20170525-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|date=May 25, 2017|title=Sean Hannity goes on vacation as advertisers drop out of his show|last=Battaglio|first=Stephen|access-date=February 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907022655/http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-hannity-advertisers-fox-20170525-story.html|archive-date=September 7, 2018|url-status=live}}{{citation|first=Paul|last=Bond|date=May 25, 2017|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/more-advertisers-pressuring-fox-news-sean-hannity-1007805|work=The Hollywood Reporter|title=Several advertisers have pulled TV spots over the 'Hannity' host's reporting on Seth Rich, while conservatives are mounting a counter-boycott.|access-date=February 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613183900/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/more-advertisers-pressuring-fox-news-sean-hannity-1007805|archive-date=June 13, 2018|url-status=live}}Friedersdorf, Conor. [https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/05/sean-hannity/528144/ "How Conservatives Awoke to the Dangers of Sean Hannity"].{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114012501/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/05/sean-hannity/528144/ |date=January 14, 2019 }} The Atlantic. May 30, 2017. However, USAA decided to return to the show shortly after following a negative outcry against its decision to pull out.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2017/05/30/usaa-says-reinstate-ads-fox-news-channels-hannity/102325194/|title=USAA says it will reinstate ads on Fox News Channel's 'Hannity'|work=USA Today|first=David|last=Bauder|agency=Associated Press|access-date=February 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716000023/https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2017/05/30/usaa-says-reinstate-ads-fox-news-channels-hannity/102325194/|archive-date=July 16, 2018|url-status=live}} Conservative magazine National Review compared the story to a flat earth video, called it a "disgrace" that Hannity and other conspiracy theorists were hyping the story, and called for them to stop.{{cite news|last1=French|first1=David|title=The Seth Rich Conspiracy Theory Is Shameful Nonsense|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/article/447903/sean-hannitys-seth-rich-conspiracy-theory-disgrace|access-date=July 26, 2017|work=National Review|date=May 24, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170717085214/http://www.nationalreview.com/article/447903/sean-hannitys-seth-rich-conspiracy-theory-disgrace|archive-date=July 17, 2017|url-status=live}}

In March 2018, Seth Rich's parents filed a lawsuit against Fox News for pushing conspiracy theories about their son's death. The suit alleges that the network "intentionally exploited" the tragedy for political purposes.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/seth-rich-parents-sue-fox-news-over-retracted-story-they-say-treated-him-like-a-political-football/2018/03/14/647f5da2-27ab-11e8-b79d-f3d931db7f68_story.html|title=Seth Rich parents sue Fox News over retracted story they say treated him like 'a political football'|first=Paul|last=Farhi|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=August 5, 2018|date=March 14, 2018|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826115319/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/seth-rich-parents-sue-fox-news-over-retracted-story-they-say-treated-him-like-a-political-football/2018/03/14/647f5da2-27ab-11e8-b79d-f3d931db7f68_story.html|archive-date=August 26, 2018|url-status=live}} On October 12, 2020, Fox News agreed to pay millions of dollars to the Rich family.{{cite news |title=Fox Settled a Lawsuit Over Its Lies. But It Insisted on One Unusual Condition|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/17/business/media/fox-news-seth-rich-settlement.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage |work=The New York Times|first=Ben|last=Smith|date=January 17, 2021|accessdate=April 1, 2021}}

Hannity came under criticism during the 2016 presidential election for false claims about election rigging during interviews. Hannity responded to this by citing Mitt Romney's failure in the 2012 United States presidential election to obtain any votes in 59 of 1,687 Philadelphia voting districts as proof of election rigging. However, FactCheck.org and PolitiFact found that it was not unusual at all for this to occur, as those electoral districts are heavily African-American. Philadelphia elections inspector Ryan Godfrey also refuted Hannity's claim.{{Cite web|url=http://www.factcheck.org/2013/01/voting-conspiracies/|title=Voting Conspiracies|website=FactCheck.org|language=en-US|access-date=February 23, 2017|date=January 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404085919/http://www.factcheck.org/2013/01/voting-conspiracies/|archive-date=April 4, 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.politifact.com/pennsylvania/statements/2016/aug/12/viral-image/internet-philly-rigged-2012-presidential-election-|title=Internet: Philly rigged the 2012 presidential election. Experts: Still no|work=PolitiFact|access-date=March 26, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224211904/http://www.politifact.com/pennsylvania/statements/2016/aug/12/viral-image/internet-philly-rigged-2012-presidential-election-/|archive-date=February 24, 2017|url-status=live}}

After the 2020 election, Hannity amplified false claims of election fraud,{{Cite news|last1=Keveney|first1=Bill|last2=Puente|first2=Maria|date=January 11, 2021|title=How conservative media stoked baseless election-fraud claims that motivated DC rioters|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2021/01/11/dc-riots-how-newsmax-oan-conservative-outlets-fueled-mob/6589298002/|access-date=January 5, 2022|newspaper=USA Today|language=en-US}} including by hosting former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell on his Fox News show, where Powell made unsubstantiated allegations on the topic.{{Cite news|last=Baragona|first=Justin|date=December 1, 2020|title=Hannity Credulously Buys Sidney Powell's Excuses for Lack of Evidence and Witnesses|language=en|work=The Daily Beast|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/hannity-credulously-buys-sidney-powells-excuses-for-lack-of-evidence-and-witnesses|access-date=January 5, 2022}} The House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack investigated what Hannity may have known in advance. The committee discovered that, on December 31, 2020, Hannity texted White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, saying, "I do NOT see January 6 happening the way he [Trump] is being told."{{Cite news|last1=Nobles|first1=Ryan|last2=Grayer|first2=Annie|last3=Reid|first3=Paula|last4=Grimaldi|first4=Angelica|last5=Rogers|first5=Alex|date=January 4, 2022|title=January 6 committee seeks cooperation from Fox News' Hannity and releases texts between host and White House|url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/04/politics/january-6-committee-sean-hannity/index.html|access-date=January 5, 2022|work=CNN}}{{Cite news|last=Darcy|first=Oliver|date=January 5, 2022|title=Analysis: What Hannity's newly unveiled texts reveal about him and how Trump viewed his advice|url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/05/media/sean-hannity-donald-trump-reliable-sources/index.html|access-date=January 5, 2022|work=CNN}} In December 2020, Hannity called for Trump's claims of voter fraud to be investigated by a special prosecutor, despite no credible evidence of such.{{Cite web|last=Slisco|first=Aila|date=December 9, 2020|title=Sean Hannity wants special prosecutor to probe Trump's voter fraud allegations|url=https://www.newsweek.com/sean-hannity-wants-special-prosecutor-probe-trumps-voter-fraud-allegations-1553687|access-date=February 21, 2022|website=Newsweek|language=en}} The Washington Post reported in May 2022 that Hannity participated in a conference call days after the 2020 presidential election that focused on strategies for challenging the legitimacy of the vote. Other participants on the call included senator Lindsey Graham, Trump personal attorney Jay Sekulow, Oracle Corporation founder Larry Ellison and James Bopp, an attorney for True the Vote.{{cite news |title=Oracle's Larry Ellison joined Nov. 2020 call about contesting Trump's loss |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/20/larry-ellison-oracle-trump-election-challenges/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 20, 2022|author1=Isaac Stanley-Becker|author2=Shawn Boburg }}

Fox News was sued for defamation in 2021 by Dominion Voting Systems, after Hannity and other network hosts and their guests promoted claims the company's voting machines had been rigged against Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Shortly after the election, Hannity hosted Trump attorney Sidney Powell, who made such assertions, but Hannity said in a sworn deposition for the Dominion case, "I did not believe it for one second."{{cite news |last1=Peters |first1=Jeremy W. |title=In Testimony, Hannity and Other Fox Employees Said They Doubted Trump's Fraud Claims |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/21/business/media/sean-hannity-fox-trump-election.html |work=The New York Times |date=December 21, 2022}}

Hannity has advocated the "deep state" conspiracy theory. It proposes a government officials network is working to hinder the Trump administration. He has described the deep state as a "Shadow Government" and "Deep state swamp of Obama holdovers and DC lifers".{{Cite web |last=Schwarz |first=Hunter |date=March 7, 2017 |title=What's a 'Deep State' and why is it a new buzzword for the online right? |url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/politics/deep-state/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314091502/http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/politics/deep-state/index.html |archive-date=March 14, 2017 |access-date=March 14, 2017 |website=CNN |publisher=Turner Broadcasting Systems |location=Atlanta, Georgia}}{{Cite news |last=Graham |first=Chris |date=March 11, 2017 |title=What is 'deep state' and is a shadowy network of Obama holdovers undermining Donald Trump? |language=en-GB |work=The Telegraph |location=London, England |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/11/deep-state-shadowy-network-obama-holdovers-undermining-donald/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314025019/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/11/deep-state-shadowy-network-obama-holdovers-undermining-donald/ |archive-date=March 14, 2017}} In March 2017, he called for a "purge" of Obama-era bureaucrats and appointees in government.{{Cite news |last=Hensch |first=Mark |date=March 10, 2017 |title=Spicer won't reject idea that 'deep state' opposes Trump |work=The Hill |publisher=Capitol Publishing |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/323458-spicer-wont-reject-deep-state-against-trump/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170313232436/http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/323458-spicer-wont-reject-deep-state-against-trump |archive-date=March 13, 2017}} In an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, conservative columnist Bret Stephens disputed Hannity's deep state allegations, saying they were an example of the "paranoid style in politics".{{Cite news |last=Stephens |first=Bret |author-link=Bret Stephens |date=March 13, 2017 |title=Deep States and Demagogues |work=Wall Street Journal |location=New York City |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/deep-states-and-demagogues-1489446006 |url-status=live |access-date=March 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314002054/https://www.wsj.com/articles/deep-states-and-demagogues-1489446006 |archive-date=March 14, 2017 |issn=0099-9660}} Later that month, Hannity said NBC News was part of the deep state.{{Cite news |date=March 14, 2017 |title=Tax story puts spotlight on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/tax-story-puts-spotlight-on-msnbcs-rachel-maddow/2017/03/14/4702121a-092f-11e7-bd19-fd3afa0f7e2a_story.html |url-status=dead |access-date=March 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170315180557/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/tax-story-puts-spotlight-on-msnbcs-rachel-maddow/2017/03/14/4702121a-092f-11e7-bd19-fd3afa0f7e2a_story.html |archive-date=March 15, 2017}} In May 2017, he reiterated that deep state/intelligence operatives were trying to destroy the Trump presidency.{{Cite news |date=May 18, 2017 |title=For Trump's defenders, White House turmoil is politics as usual |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-supporters-idUSKCN18E36Q |url-status=live |access-date=May 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518232147/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-supporters-idUSKCN18E36Q |archive-date=May 18, 2017}}

Analysis of Fox News coverage published by Media Matters in 2014 found that Hannity was a major proponent of alleged scandals involving the Obama administration and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton related to the 2012 Benghazi attack.{{cite news |title=REPORT: Fox's Benghazi Obsession By The Numbers |url=https://www.mediamatters.org/sean-hannity/report-foxs-benghazi-obsession-numbers |publisher=Media Matters |date=September 9, 2014}} Six

investigations by Republican-controlled House committees found no evidence of scandal.{{cite news |last1=Dilanian |first1=Ken |title=GOP-led House report debunks Benghazi allegations |url=https://apnews.com/united-states-congress-united-states-government-8cdb4a3910f846e2b3e8ff5e7af54929 |publisher=Associated Press |date=November 22, 2014}}{{cite news |last1=Elving |first1=Ron |title=House Committees Find No Wrongdoing In 2012 Benghazi Attack |url=https://www.npr.org/2014/11/24/366379320/house-committees-find-no-wrongdoing-in-2012-benghazi-attack |date=November 24, 2014}}{{cite news |title=Two years, $7 million, 800 pages later, GOP Benghazi report lands with a thud |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/two-years-7-million-800-pages-later-gop-benghazi-report-lands-with-a-thud |publisher=PBS |date=June 28, 2016}}{{cite news |last1=Herszenhorn |first1=David M. |title=House Benghazi Report Finds No New Evidence of Wrongdoing by Hillary Clinton |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/29/us/politics/hillary-clinton-benghazi.html |work=The New York Times |date=June 28, 2016}}

In 2010, Hannity said WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was waging a "war" on the United States, and that WikiLeaks put American lives in "jeopardy" and "danger" around the world. He also criticized the Obama administration for failing to apprehend Assange.{{cite news|first=Matt|last=Wilstein|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/09/07/sean-hannity-suddenly-loves-julian-assange-now-that-he-s-anti-hillary.html|title=Sean Hannity Suddenly Loves Julian Assange Now That He's Anti-Hillary|date=September 7, 2016|newspaper=The Daily Beast|access-date=February 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224053419/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/09/07/sean-hannity-suddenly-loves-julian-assange-now-that-he-s-anti-hillary.html|archive-date=February 24, 2017|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/04/how-some-republicans-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-julian-assange/|title=How some Republicans learned to stop worrying and love Julian Assange|newspaper=The Washington Post|first=Aaron|last=Blake|date=January 4, 2017|access-date=January 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105180131/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/04/how-some-republicans-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-julian-assange/|archive-date=January 5, 2017|url-status=live}} In 2016, after WikiLeaks published leaked emails from the Democratic National Committee, Hannity praised Assange for showing "how corrupt, dishonest and phony our government is".{{cite news|first=Jamiles|last=Lartey|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/news-blog/2016/oct/22/wikileaks-clinton-leaks-julian-assange-sean-hannity-david-duke|title=WikiLeaks praised by Sean Hannity and David Duke after Clinton revelations|date=October 22, 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London, England|access-date=February 23, 2017|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222115214/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/news-blog/2016/oct/22/wikileaks-clinton-leaks-julian-assange-sean-hannity-david-duke|archive-date=February 22, 2017|url-status=live}} He told Assange in a September 2016 interview, "I do hope you get free one day. I wish you the best."{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/la-na-trailguide-updates-hannity-hopes-for-wikileaks-founder-s-1473255689-htmlstory.html|title=Campaign 2016 updates: Donald Trump indicates allowing those in the country illegally to stay if they join military|work=Los Angeles Times|location=Los Angeles, California|date=September 6, 2016|access-date=February 23, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224052516/http://www.latimes.com/la-na-trailguide-updates-hannity-hopes-for-wikileaks-founder-s-1473255689-htmlstory.html|archive-date=February 24, 2017|url-status=live}} The following month, Hannity claimed that WikiLeaks has revealed "everything that conspiracy theorists have said over the years" about Hillary Clinton is true.{{Cite web|first=Tim|last=Hains|url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/10/12/hannity_wikileaks_proves_everything_that_conspiracy_theorists_said_was_true.html|title=Hannity: WikiLeaks Has Proven That "Everything The Conspiracy Theorists Said" Was True|website=RealClearPolitics|date=October 12, 2016|access-date=February 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917222936/https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/10/12/hannity_wikileaks_proves_everything_that_conspiracy_theorists_said_was_true.html|archive-date=September 17, 2018|url-status=live}}

In February 2017, Hannity retweeted a WikiLeaks tweet linking to an article by the conspiracy website Gateway Pundit, claiming that John McCain was a "globalist war criminal". McCain's spokeswoman called Hannity out on it, asking him to "correct the record". Hannity later deleted the tweet.{{cite news|first=Jordain|last=Carney|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/320832-mccain-spokeswoman-hannity-should-correct-the-record-after-tweet/|title=McCain spokeswoman: Hannity should 'correct the record' after 'fake news' tweet|work=The Hill|publisher=Capitol Hill Publishing|location=Washington, D.C.|date=February 23, 2017|access-date=February 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224112057/http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/320832-mccain-spokeswoman-hannity-should-correct-the-record-after-tweet|archive-date=February 24, 2017|url-status=live}} In May 2017, Hannity made an offer to Assange to guest host his Fox News TV show.{{cite web|first=Oliver|last=Darcy|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/31/media/julian-assange-guest-host-hannity-radio-show/index.html|title=Julian Assange exploring ways to guest host Hannity's radio program after invite|website=CNNMoney|publisher=Turner Broadcasting Systems|location=Atlanta, Georgia|date=May 31, 2017|access-date=June 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170602020850/http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/31/media/julian-assange-guest-host-hannity-radio-show/index.html|archive-date=June 2, 2017|url-status=live}}

During President Trump's administration, Hannity has repeatedly been highly critical of the FBI, DOJ, Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and others investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election.{{cite journal|url=http://www.newsweek.com/watergate-reporter-carl-bernstein-thinks-fox-news-helping-trump-administration-743904|title=Watergate Reporter Carl Bernstein Thinks Fox News Is Helping the Trump Administration Cover Up Its Russia Ties|journal=Newsweek|date=December 11, 2017|first=Tom|last=Porter|access-date=February 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023095822/https://www.newsweek.com/watergate-reporter-carl-bernstein-thinks-fox-news-helping-trump-administration-743904|archive-date=October 23, 2018|url-status=live}} According to a review by Media Matters of all transcripts from the 254 episodes of Hannity's show from Mueller's appointment (May 17, 2017) to May 16, 2018, Hannity had 487 segments substantially devoted to Mueller (approximately two per episode), opened his program with Mueller 152 times (approximately three times per week), and the content of his show was highly critical of the probe and the media's coverage of the probe.{{Cite news|url=https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2018/05/23/study-sean-hannity-spent-last-year-laying-groundwork-authoritarian-response-russia-probe/220281|title=Study: Sean Hannity spent the last year laying the groundwork for an authoritarian response to the Russia probe|date=May 22, 2018|work=Media Matters for America|access-date=May 23, 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523153737/https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2018/05/23/study-sean-hannity-spent-last-year-laying-groundwork-authoritarian-response-russia-probe/220281|archive-date=May 23, 2018|url-status=live}} He has called the Russia inquiry a "witch hunt", an "utter disgrace", and "a direct threat to you, the American people, and our American republic". Hannity has expressed skepticism of the U.S. intelligence community's view that Russia hacked the Democratic National Convention's emails during the 2016 election and has promoted various conspiracy theories. In March 2017 he publicized a theory, first proposed at the WikiLeaks Twitter account, that the CIA could have done the hacking while making it look like Russia did it.{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/sean-hannity-wikileaks-conspiracy-theory-cia-hacked-2017-3?r=US&IR=T|title=Conservative media figures are embracing a wild WikiLeaks conspiracy theory that the CIA hacked the DNC, and then framed Russia|work=Business Insider|first=Maxwell|last=Tani|access-date=March 11, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108034506/http://uk.businessinsider.com/sean-hannity-wikileaks-conspiracy-theory-cia-hacked-2017-3?r=US&IR=T|archive-date=November 8, 2017|url-status=live}} In August he suggested that Seth Rich may have been the leaker.{{cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/seth-rich-russia-and-2016-election-648312|title=Link between Russia and 2016 election may be Seth Rich murder, Republican lobbyist tells Robert Mueller|last=Nazaryan|first=Alexander|date=August 19, 2017|work=Newsweek|access-date=April 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421233212/http://www.newsweek.com/seth-rich-russia-and-2016-election-648312|archive-date=April 21, 2018|url-status=live}} Hannity falsely claimed fewer people voted for Trump in the 2016 election because they heard about the "pee tape" rumor, which he called "election interference", even though it was not public knowledge until 63 days after the election.{{cite web | last=Karet | first=Brendan | title=Sean Hannity suggests people didn't vote for Trump because "pee tape" rumors. The Steele dossier wasn't released until months after the election. | website=Media Matters for America | date=March 19, 2019 | url=https://www.mediamatters.org/sean-hannity/sean-hannity-suggests-people-didnt-vote-trump-because-pee-tape-rumors-steele-dossier | access-date=December 27, 2023}}

Hannity has described the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, as well as James Comey's tenure as FBI Director, as "one giant incestuous circle of corruption".{{Cite news|first=Mark|last=Mazzetti|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/02/us/politics/memo-trump-nunes.html|title=How Trump's Allies Fanned an Ember of Controversy Into Flames of Outrage|date=February 2, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 3, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203043405/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/02/us/politics/memo-trump-nunes.html|archive-date=February 3, 2018|url-status=live}} In April 2018, Hannity ran a segment where he claimed there were "criminal" connections between Bill and Hillary Clinton, Mueller, and Comey. Hannity asserted that there were three connected "Deep State crime families" actively "trying to take down the president".{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-promotes-conspiratorial-hannity-episode-calling-mueller-head-of-deep-state-crime-families-2|title=Trump Promotes Conspiratorial 'Hannity' Episode Calling Mueller Part of 'Deep State Crime Families'|date=April 12, 2018|website=The Daily Beast|language=en|access-date=April 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413035126/https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-promotes-conspiratorial-hannity-episode-calling-mueller-head-of-deep-state-crime-families-2|archive-date=April 13, 2018|url-status=live}} A guest on the segment, attorney Joseph diGenova, called Mueller's team "legal terrorists" and referred to Comey as a "dirty cop".{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/joseph-digenova-trump-fox-news-sessions-should-fire-rosenstein-2018-4?r=US&IR=T|title=Former federal prosecutor Joseph diGenova calls for Rosenstein's firing on Fox News after Trump tells people to tune in to the 'big show'|work=Business Insider|access-date=April 12, 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412212145/http://uk.businessinsider.com/joseph-digenova-trump-fox-news-sessions-should-fire-rosenstein-2018-4?r=US&IR=T|archive-date=April 12, 2018|url-status=live}} In March 2018, Hannity attacked Special Counsel Robert Mueller, saying his career was "anything but impeccable".{{Cite news |last=Manchester |first=Julia |date=March 21, 2018 |title=Hannity rips Mueller's career: 'Anything but impeccable' |language=en |work=The Hill |publisher=Capitol Publishing |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/379475-hannity-rips-muellers-career-anything-but-impeccable/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321174903/http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/379475-hannity-rips-muellers-career-anything-but-impeccable |archive-date=March 21, 2018}} Hannity said Mueller was friends with former FBI Director James Comey and former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and that he "cannot be expected to honestly investigate scandals that his friends are directly involved in".{{Cite news |last=Balluck |first=Kyle |date=March 21, 2018 |title=Hannity: Mueller can't 'honestly investigate scandals' that Comey, Rosenstein are 'directly involved in' |language=en |work=The Hill |publisher=Capitol Publishing |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/379470-hannity-mueller-cant-honestly-investigate-scandals-that-comey-rosenstein-are/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321164758/http://thehill.com/homenews/media/379470-hannity-mueller-cant-honestly-investigate-scandals-that-comey-rosenstein-are |archive-date=March 21, 2018}} He said these individuals were involved in "one massive, huge, deep-state conflict of interest after another. Now they're protecting themselves. They're trying to preserve their own power." Mueller and Comey are professional acquaintances but not known to be friends, while Trump attorney general Bill Barr said in 2019 that he and Mueller had been friends for thirty years.{{cite magazine |last=Berman |first=Russell |date=April 28, 2019 |title=The Complicated Friendship of Robert Mueller and William Barr |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/04/mueller-barr-and-their-pre-trump-friendship/588151/ |magazine=The Atlantic |location=Washington, D.C.}}

On November 4, 2018, Trump's website, DonaldJTrump.com, announced in a press release that Hannity would make a "special guest appearance" with Trump at a midterm campaign rally the following night in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.{{cite web |last=Stelter |first=Brian |date=November 5, 2018 |title='Special Guest' Sean Hannity to appear at Trump rally |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/04/media/sean-hannity-donald-trump-rally-fox-news/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106012236/https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/04/media/sean-hannity-donald-trump-rally-fox-news/index.html |archive-date=November 6, 2018 |access-date=November 6, 2018 |website=CNN}} The following morning, Hannity tweeted "To be clear, I will not be on stage campaigning with the President."{{cite web |title=Sean Hannity on Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/seanhannity/status/1059476042975535104 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106045357/https://twitter.com/seanhannity/status/1059476042975535104 |archive-date=November 6, 2018 |access-date=November 6, 2018}} Hannity nevertheless spoke at Trump's lectern on stage at the rally, immediately mocking the "fake news" at the back of the auditorium, Fox News reporters among them. Several Fox News employees expressed outrage at Hannity's actions, with one stating, "a new line was crossed".{{cite web |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |date=November 6, 2018 |title='It disturbs me to my core': Fox News staffers express outrage over Hannity's rally appearance |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/06/media/fox-news-sean-hannity-jeanine-pirro-trump-rally/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106185550/https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/06/media/fox-news-sean-hannity-jeanine-pirro-trump-rally/index.html |archive-date=November 6, 2018 |access-date=November 6, 2018 |website=CNN}} Hannity later asserted that his action was not pre-planned, and Fox News stated it "does not condone any talent participating in campaign events".{{cite web |date=November 6, 2018 |title=Fox News Responds to Hannity at Trump Rally: We Do 'Not Condone' This 'Unfortunate Distraction' |url=https://www.mediaite.com/tv/fox-news-responds-hannity-at-trump-rally-we-do-not-condone-this-unfortunate-distraction/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107054236/https://www.mediaite.com/tv/fox-news-responds-hannity-at-trump-rally-we-do-not-condone-this-unfortunate-distraction/ |archive-date=November 7, 2018 |access-date=November 6, 2018 |website=www.mediaite.com}} Fox News host Jeanine Pirro also appeared on stage with Trump at the rally. The Trump press release was later removed from Trump's website.

Hannity also claimed that Mueller had been involved in the corrupt dealings of several FBI agents in connection with Boston, Massachusetts crime boss Whitey Bulger.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/18/opinion/robert-mueller-smearing-complicit.html|title=Opinion {{!}} Smearing Robert Mueller|date=April 18, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 19, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419004452/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/18/opinion/robert-mueller-smearing-complicit.html|archive-date=April 19, 2018|url-status=live}} The federal judge who presided over a lawsuit concerning the corrupt dealings said Hannity's claims were unsubstantiated and that Mueller was never accused of any wrongdoing nor even mentioned during the proceedings.

In June 2018, after reports that Mueller's probe had asked witnesses to turn their personal phones over to investigators for examination, Hannity sarcastically suggested on air to the witnesses that they "follow Hillary Clinton's lead" and destroy their personal phones so they cannot be examined.{{Cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/391115-hannity-advises-witnesses-in-mueller-probe-smash-their-phones-to-little-itsy/|title=Fox's Hannity advises witnesses in Mueller probe smash their phones to 'little itsy bitsy pieces'|last=Greenwood|first=Max|date=June 6, 2018|work=The Hill|access-date=June 7, 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180607035847/http://thehill.com/homenews/media/391115-hannity-advises-witnesses-in-mueller-probe-smash-their-phones-to-little-itsy|archive-date=June 7, 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/sean-hannity-to-witnesses-in-mueller-probe-bash-your-phones-into-pieces|title=Sean Hannity to Witnesses in Mueller Probe: 'Bash' Your Phones Into Pieces|date=June 7, 2018|website=The Daily Beast|language=en|access-date=June 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180607035909/https://www.thedailybeast.com/sean-hannity-to-witnesses-in-mueller-probe-bash-your-phones-into-pieces|archive-date=June 7, 2018|url-status=live}}

In May 2019, after Mueller gave a statement saying the Special Counsel investigation did not exonerate Trump of crimes, Hannity said Mueller was "basically full of crap" and did not know the law.{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fox-news-mueller-hannity-carlson-ingraham_n_5cef781ce4b0888f89d0e91d|title=Fox News Hosts Freak Out Over 'Mean Girl' Robert Mueller: 'Full Of Crap'|last=Moran|first=Lee|date=May 30, 2019|website=HuffPost|language=en|access-date=June 5, 2019}}

In 2016, Hannity vociferously defended Roger Ailes when he was accused by multiple women of sexual harassment.{{cite news|last1=Alderman|first1=Julie|last2=Radtke|first2=Dina|last3=Lawrence|first3=Andrew|url=https://www.salon.com/2017/11/22/sean-hannity-continues-to-defend-sexual-abusers_partner/|title=Sean Hannity's long-standing defense of sexual abusers|work=Salon|location=San Francisco, California|agency=Media Matters for America|date=November 23, 2017|access-date=November 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109070737/https://www.salon.com/2017/11/22/sean-hannity-continues-to-defend-sexual-abusers_partner/|archive-date=November 9, 2018|url-status=live}} In May 2017, Hannity paid a tribute to Ailes after he died.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sean-hannity-has-message-for-roger-ailes-enemies/|title=Sean Hannity has message for Roger Ailes' enemies|website=CBS News|first=Andrea|last=Park|publisher=CBS Corporation|location=New York City|access-date=October 12, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013065103/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sean-hannity-has-message-for-roger-ailes-enemies/|archive-date=October 13, 2017|url-status=live}} Hannity called him "a second father" and said to Ailes' "enemies" that he was "preparing to kick your {{As written|a**}} in the next life".

In April 2017, Hannity came to the defense of Fox News co-president Bill Shine after it was reported that Shine's job was at risk.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/27/business/media/fox-news-sean-hannity-bill-shine.html|title=Sean Hannity Defends Executive as Fox News Turmoil Continues|last1=Grynbaum|first1=Michael M.|date=April 27, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 12, 2017|last2=Steel|first2=Emily|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013065121/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/27/business/media/fox-news-sean-hannity-bill-shine.html|archive-date=October 13, 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-28/sean-hannity-defends-boss-says-ouster-would-be-end-of-fox-news|title=Sean Hannity Defends Boss, Says Ouster Would Be End of Fox News|date=April 28, 2017|work=Bloomberg.com|first=Anousha|last=Sakoui|publisher=Bloomberg, L.P.|location=New York City|access-date=October 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013065136/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-28/sean-hannity-defends-boss-says-ouster-would-be-end-of-fox-news|archive-date=October 13, 2017|url-status=live}} At least four lawsuits alleged that Shine had ignored, enabled or concealed Ailes' alleged sexual harassment.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/may/25/sean-hannity-fox-news-media-matters-seth-rich|title=Sean Hannity targets media watchdog amid questions over future at Fox News|last=Gabbatt|first=Adam|date=May 25, 2017|work=The Guardian|location=New York City|access-date=October 13, 2017|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013172248/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/may/25/sean-hannity-fox-news-media-matters-seth-rich|archive-date=October 13, 2017|url-status=live}}

In another lawsuit, he was accused of belittling a female guest on his TV show, allegedly offering cash to anyone on set who would take her on a date.{{Cite news |title=Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity Accused of Sexual Misconduct in New Lawsuit |work=Vulture |url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/tucker-carlson-sean-hannity-sexual-misconduct-lawsuit.html}}

In September 2017, several months after Bill O'Reilly was fired from Fox News in the wake of a number of women's alleging that he had sexually harassed them, Hannity hosted O'Reilly on his show.{{Cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/352439-hannity-to-host-oreilly-tuesday-for-second-interview-in-eight-days/|title=Hannity to host O'Reilly Tuesday on Fox News|last=Lejeune|first=Tristan|date=September 26, 2017|work=The Hill|publisher=Capitol Publishing|location=Washington D.C.|access-date=October 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013065440/http://thehill.com/homenews/media/352439-hannity-to-host-oreilly-tuesday-for-second-interview-in-eight-days|archive-date=October 13, 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/09/26/media/oreilly-hannity-fox-news-interview/index.html|title=Bill O'Reilly appears on Fox News for first time since his ouster|last=Darcy|first=Oliver|work=CNNMoney|publisher=Turner Broadcasting Systems|location=Atlanta, Georgia|date=October 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011230546/http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/26/media/oreilly-hannity-fox-news-interview/index.html|archive-date=October 11, 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2017/09/27/bill-oreilly-returns-to-fox-as-sean-hannitys-guest/106036888/|title=Bill O'Reilly returns to Fox as Sean Hannity's guest|work=USA Today|location=Mclean, Virginia|agency=Associated Press|date=September 26, 2017|access-date=October 12, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013070622/https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2017/09/27/bill-oreilly-returns-to-fox-as-sean-hannitys-guest/106036888/|archive-date=October 13, 2017|url-status=live}} Some Fox News employees criticized the decision. In the interview, O'Reilly attacked liberal media watchdog groups and said he should have fought harder when those groups targeted his advertisers. According to CNN, during the interview, Hannity found kinship with O'Reilly as he appeared "to feel that he and O'Reilly have both become victims of liberals looking to silence them".

Hannity came under criticism in October 2017 when he attacked Democrats after it became known that a large number of women had accused Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood producer and donor to Democratic causes, of sexual harassment.{{Cite news|first=Maxwell|last=Tani|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/sean-hannity-harvey-weinstein-bill-oreilly-2017-10?IR=T|title=Sean Hannity goes on 10-minute rant about left's 'hypocrisy' on Harvey Weinstein, two weeks after having Bill O'Reilly on his show|work=Business Insider|location=New York City

|date=October 11, 2017|access-date=October 12, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012201648/http://www.businessinsider.com/sean-hannity-harvey-weinstein-bill-oreilly-2017-10?IR=T|archive-date=October 12, 2017|url-status=live}} Critics noted that Hannity had weeks earlier defended and hosted his coworker Bill O'Reilly who was fired following a number of sexual harassment allegations.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-and-friends-hypocrites-slam-late-night-hosts-weinstein-silence|title='Fox & Friends' Hypocrites Slam Late-Night Hosts' Weinstein Silence|last=Wilstein|first=Matt|date=October 9, 2017|work=The Daily Beast|location=New York City|access-date=October 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011205846/https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-and-friends-hypocrites-slam-late-night-hosts-weinstein-silence|archive-date=October 11, 2017|url-status=live}}

In the radio show for KCSB, which was the subject of controversy in 1989, Hannity made anti-gay comments.{{Cite news|first=Emily|last=Shugarman|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/sean-hannity-gay-people-aids-lgbt-homosexuality-sewer-comments-college-radio-a7995696.html|title=Sean Hannity once compared homosexuality to 'playing in a sewer'|work=The Independent|location=London, England|

date=October 11, 2017|access-date=October 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012002053/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/sean-hannity-gay-people-aids-lgbt-homosexuality-sewer-comments-college-radio-a7995696.html|archive-date=October 12, 2017|url-status=live}} He called AIDS a "gay disease" and said the media was hiding salient information from the public.{{Cite news|first=Nick|last=Duffy|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/10/11/fox-news-host-sean-hannity-called-aids-a-gay-disease-and-lashed-out-at-gay-brainwashing/|title=Fox News host Sean Hannity called AIDS a 'gay disease' and lashed out at gay 'brainwashing'|work=PinkNews|date=October 11, 2017|access-date=October 12, 2017|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011231213/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/10/11/fox-news-host-sean-hannity-called-aids-a-gay-disease-and-lashed-out-at-gay-brainwashing/|archive-date=October 11, 2017|url-status=live}} Two editions featured anti-gay activist Gene Antonio, a Lutheran minister,{{cite news|last=Shaer|first=Matthew|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/magazine/how-far-will-sean-hannity-go.html|title=How Far Will Sean Hannity Go?|work=The New York Times|date=November 28, 2017|access-date=November 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171129003856/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/magazine/how-far-will-sean-hannity-go.html|archive-date=November 29, 2017|url-status=live}} discussing his book The AIDS Coverup: The Real and Alarming Facts about AIDS. In the book, Antonio claims that AIDS can be spread by people sneezing in close proximity to each other. Hannity encouraged Antonio when he said that AIDS spread when gay men consumed each other's feces, said that homosexuality was a "lower form of behavior", compared homosexual sex to "playing in a sewer" and gay people of being "filled with hatred and bigotry". When a lesbian, another broadcaster at the station, called into the show, Hannity said "I feel sorry for your child."{{cite book |first=Jeff |last=Cohen |author-link=Jeff Cohen (media critic) |title=Cable News Confidential: My Misadventures in Corporate Media |publisher=Polipoint Press |location=Sausalito, California |date=2006 |url=https://archive.org/details/cablenewsconfide00cohe |url-access=registration |page=[https://archive.org/details/cablenewsconfide00cohe/page/85 85] |isbn=978-0-9760621-6-5}} Hannity was quoted at the time as having said "anyone listening to this show that believes homosexuality is a normal lifestyle has been brainwashed."{{cite news|last=Marshall|first=Colin|url=https://www.independent.com/news/2009/nov/23/let-freeform-ring/|title=Let Freeform Ring: A Brief History of KCSB, Part VI|work=Santa Barbara Independent|date=November 23, 2009|access-date=November 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109205455/http://www.independent.com/news/2009/nov/23/let-freeform-ring/|archive-date=November 9, 2018|url-status=live}} The ACLU opposed his firing and petitioned the station to reverse their decision.{{Cite news |last=Shaer |first=Matthew |date=November 28, 2017 |title=How Far Will Sean Hannity Go? |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/magazine/how-far-will-sean-hannity-go.html |access-date=October 3, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}} Hannity demanded a formal apology and double the airtime. While the station did offer to allow Hannity to return, they would not meet Hannity's additional demands and he declined to return.

In 2017, Hannity said he regretted the comments and that they were "ignorant and embarrassing".{{Cite news|last=Cuccinello|first=Hayley C.|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/hayleycuccinello/2018/07/16/sean-hannity-celebrity-100/#50cbee972d93|title=Trump Bump: How Sean Hannity Earned $36 Million This Year|work=Forbes|location=New York City|date=July 16, 2018|access-date=July 16, 2018|language=en}}

Hannity opposed amnesty for undocumented immigrants; however, in 2012 he said he had evolved on the issue and favored a "pathway to citizenship".{{Cite web|first=MacKenzie|last=Weinger|date=November 8, 2012|url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/11/hannity-ive-evolved-on-immigration-and-support-a-pathway-to-citizenship-149078|title=Hannity: I've 'evolved' on immigration and support a 'pathway to citizenship'|work=Politico|publisher=Capitol News Company|location=Arlington, Virginia|access-date=May 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523095450/https://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/11/hannity-ive-evolved-on-immigration-and-support-a-pathway-to-citizenship-149078|archive-date=May 23, 2018|url-status=live}} Later, he opposed that idea. By 2018, he was described as an immigration hardliner by CNN, The Washington Post, and New York magazine.{{Cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/02/politics/donald-trump-weekend-immigration/index.html|title=At Mar-a-Lago, Trump hears from immigration hardliners|first=Kevin|last=Liptak|website=CNN|publisher=Turner Broadcasting Systems|location=Atlanta, Georgia|date=April 2, 2018|access-date=May 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523011605/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/02/politics/donald-trump-weekend-immigration/index.html|archive-date=May 23, 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/04/white-house-pursues-new-immigration-push-after-trump-tweets.html|title=White House Unveils New Immigration Push, Tries to Make Sense of Trump's Tweets|last=Hartmann|first=Margaret|work=Daily Intelligencer|date=April 3, 2018|access-date=May 22, 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523095510/http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/04/white-house-pursues-new-immigration-push-after-trump-tweets.html|archive-date=May 23, 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-heats-up-rhetoric-on-border-immigration-as-some-supporters-grow-impatient/2018/04/02/88d5353e-3690-11e8-acd5-35eac230e514_story.html|title=Trump heats up rhetoric on border, immigration as some supporters grow impatient|last=Nakamura|first=David|date=April 3, 2018|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=May 22, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523011054/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-heats-up-rhetoric-on-border-immigration-as-some-supporters-grow-impatient/2018/04/02/88d5353e-3690-11e8-acd5-35eac230e514_story.html|archive-date=May 23, 2018|url-status=live}} In August 2018, Trump suggested that he might shut down the government to force Congress to fund his border wall, boasting that Hannity agreed with the action.{{Cite news|first=Christal|last=Hayes|url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/08/02/president-trump-sean-hannity-government-shutdown-border-money/894974002/|title=President Trump boasts of Sean Hannity's approval of government shutdown plan|work=USA Today|location=Mclean, Virginia|date=August 2, 2018|access-date=August 20, 2018|language=en}}

Hannity left the Catholic Church in 2019, citing "too much institutionalized corruption". However, he has said that as he has aged, his Christian faith has "gotten stronger" and that he needs and wants God in his life.{{cite web |last=Klett |first=Leah MarieAnn |date=December 10, 2019 |title=Sean Hannity says faith is 'stronger' than ever after leaving Catholic Church over 'institutionalized corruption' |url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/sean-hannity-says-faith-is-stronger-than-ever-after-leaving-catholic-church-over-institutionalized-corruption.html |access-date=April 18, 2020 |website=Christian Post |language=en}}

Hannity has warned of Sharia law coming to the United States.{{Cite news|first=Andy|last=Barr|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2011/04/paul-to-hannity-stop-with-your-sharia-053693|title=Paul to Hannity: Stop with your Sharia|work=Politico|date=April 25, 2011|access-date=October 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017093438/http://www.politico.com/story/2011/04/paul-to-hannity-stop-with-your-sharia-053693|archive-date=October 17, 2017|url-status=live}} Hannity opposed the building of Park51, a mosque two blocks from the World Trade Center site. Hannity promoted the idea of "Islamic training camps right here in America", which were based on an unsubstantiated "documentary" by the Christian Action Network.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/11/05/the-conspiracy-theories-animating-the-right|title=The Conspiracy Theories Animating the Right|last=Clift|first=Eleanor|date=November 5, 2015|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=October 16, 2017}} In 2006, Hannity was critical of Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to U.S. Congress, being sworn into office with an oath on a Quran. Hannity equated the Quran with Mein Kampf, asking a guest on his show whether he would have allowed Ellison "to choose, you know, Hitler's Mein Kampf, which is the Nazi bible?"{{Cite book|first=Randy|last=Bobbitt|url=https://archive.org/details/usagainstthempol0000bobb|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/usagainstthempol0000bobb/page/59 59]|quote=hannity ellison Mein Kampf.|title=Us against Them: The Political Culture of Talk Radio|date=May 25, 2010|publisher=Lexington Books|location=Lanham, Maryland|isbn=9781461634652|language=en}}{{Cite news|first=Brian|last=Lambert|url=https://www.minnpost.com/glean/2013/03/minnesota-winters-warming-faster-any-other-state|title=Minnesota winters warming faster than in any other state|work=MinnPost|date=March 1, 2013|access-date=October 16, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017043007/https://www.minnpost.com/glean/2013/03/minnesota-winters-warming-faster-any-other-state|archive-date=October 17, 2017|url-status=live}}

In 2009, Hannity said he supported enhanced interrogation, a euphemism for torture. He also volunteered to be waterboarded for charity.{{cite web|last1=Linkins|first1=Jason|title=Hannity Offers To Be Waterboarded For Charity (By Charles Grodin!)|date=May 23, 2009 |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/22/hannity-offers-to-be-wate_n_190354.html|publisher=HuffPost|access-date=April 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227194400/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/22/hannity-offers-to-be-wate_n_190354.html|archive-date=February 27, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Hannity, Grodin Go One-on-One on Waterboarding, Obama's Agenda|date=March 25, 2015 |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/hannity-grodin-go-one-on-one-on-waterboarding-obamas-agenda/|publisher=Fox News|access-date=April 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413185817/http://www.foxnews.com/story/2009/04/23/hannity-grodin-go-one-on-one-on-waterboarding-obama-agenda.html|archive-date=April 13, 2018|url-status=live}} In response, Keith Olbermann pledged to donate $1,000 for every second of waterboarding Hannity underwent. In 2017, Hannity continued to advocate for waterboarding, raising the example of using it against a kidnapper.{{cite web|last1=de Moraes|first1=Lisa|title=Sean Hannity & Donald Trump Wonder How David Muir Would Feel About Waterboarding If His Child Was Kidnapped|url=https://deadline.com/2017/01/donald-trump-sean-hannity-waterboarding-david-muir-kidnap-child-1201895285/|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=January 27, 2017 |access-date=April 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413185912/http://deadline.com/2017/01/donald-trump-sean-hannity-waterboarding-david-muir-kidnap-child-1201895285/|archive-date=April 13, 2018|url-status=live}} According to Media Matters, Hannity has not been waterboarded as of March 2018.{{cite journal|last1=Simon|first1=Maloy|title=Torture fan Sean Hannity still hasn't been waterboarded like he promised|url=https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2018/03/16/Torture-fan-Sean-Hannity-still-hasnt-been-waterboarded-like-he-promised/219665|journal=Media Matters|date=March 16, 2018|access-date=February 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212070508/https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2018/03/16/Torture-fan-Sean-Hannity-still-hasnt-been-waterboarded-like-he-promised/219665|archive-date=February 12, 2019|url-status=live}}

Hannity rejects the scientific consensus on climate change. In 2001, he described it as "phony science from the left".{{Cite journal|last=McKnight|first=David|date=December 1, 2010|title=A change in the climate? The journalism of opinion at News Corporation|journal=Journalism|language=en|volume=11|issue=6|pages=693–706|doi=10.1177/1464884910379704|s2cid=144001549|issn=1464-8849}} In 2004, he falsely claimed that scientists couldn't agree on whether global warming was "scientific fact or fiction". In 2010, Hannity falsely stated that so-called "Climategate"{{snd}}the leaking of e-mails written by climate scientists that, according to climate change deniers, demonstrated scientific misconduct, but which all subsequent inquiries found to show no evidence of misconduct or wrongdoing{{snd}}was a scandal that "exposed global warming as a myth cooked up by alarmists".{{Cite news|first=Clarence|last=Page|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/07/11/climate-change-heats-up-again/|title=Climate change heats up again|work=The Chicago Tribune|date=July 11, 2010|access-date=October 16, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017044436/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-07-11/news/ct-oped-0711-page-20100711_1_climate-change-scientific-journals-scientists|archive-date=October 17, 2017|url-status=live}} Hannity frequently invites critics of climate science onto his shows.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RsYr_iQUs6QC&q=hannity&pg=PA144|title=The Oxford Handbook of Climate Change and Society|last1=Dryzek|first1=John S.|last2=Norgaard|first2=Richard B.|last3=Schlosberg|first3=David|date=August 18, 2011|publisher=OUP Oxford|location=Oxford, England|isbn=9780199566600|language=en}}

Hannity promoted the falsehood that the Affordable Care Act would create so-called "death panels".{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2010/05/health-care_reform|title=Epistemic closure and political disinformation|newspaper=The Economist|access-date=October 16, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816034937/https://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2010/05/health-care_reform|archive-date=August 16, 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite journal|last=Nyhan|first=Brendan|date=April 27, 2010|title=Why the "Death Panel" Myth Wouldn't Die: Misinformation in the Health Care Reform Debate|journal=The Forum|language=en|volume=8|issue=1|doi=10.2202/1540-8884.1354|issn=1540-8884|citeseerx=10.1.1.692.9614|s2cid=144075499}}{{Cite journal|last=Meirick|first=Patrick C.|date=January 10, 2013|title=Motivated Misperception? Party, Education, Partisan News, and Belief in "Death Panels"|journal=Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly|publisher=SAGE Publishing|location=Thousand Oaks, California|language=en|volume=90|issue=1|pages=39–57|doi=10.1177/1077699012468696|hdl=11244/25317|s2cid=143686369|url=https://shareok.org/bitstream/11244/25317/1/10.1177.1077699012468696.pdf|hdl-access=free|issn = 1077-6990 }} According to a study by Dartmouth College political scientist Brendan Nyhan, Hannity's show, along with the Laura Ingraham Show, were the first major conservative media personalities to latch onto the false claim of Betsy McCaughey, a former lieutenant governor of New York, that the Affordable Care Act contained death panels. When Sarah Palin stirred controversy by promoting the death panels myth, and argued her case in a Facebook post, Hannity defended her and said, "I agree with everything that she wrote."{{Cite journal|last=Bard|first=Mitchell T.|date=September 1, 2016|title=The Role of Differing Host Styles in Fox News' Prime Time Coverage of Health Care Reform in August 2009|journal=Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly|publisher=SAGE Publications|location=Thousand Oaks, California|language=en|volume=93|issue=3|pages=659–676|doi=10.1177/1077699016628817|s2cid=146831165|issn=1077-6990}} Hannity also claimed that he found the specific pages in the Affordable Care Act containing provisions on death panels.

A 2016 study found that Hannity promoted a number of falsehoods about the Affordable Care Act. For instance, Hannity falsely alleged several times that Democratic Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus had said Social Security could be "insolvent in two years" due to the Affordable Care Act. According to the study, Hannity, unlike other Fox News hosts such as Bill O'Reilly and Greta Van Susteren, "took a more direct approach, aggressively supporting Republicans and conservatives and attacking Democrats and liberals, endorsing the more spurious claims long after they were proven incorrect, and putting advocacy above accurate reporting, to further the network's themes opposing reform".

In 2009, Hannity said of the Iraq War, "we were victorious in spite of the Democrats' efforts and attempts at preventing victory."{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2010/03/revisionism-iraq-invasion-a-great-idea-after-all/346364/|title=Revisionism: Iraq Invasion a Great Idea, After All|last=Fisher|first=Max|date=March 12, 2010|website=The Atlantic|language=en-US|access-date=July 1, 2019}} During the 2016 election, Hannity vouched for Trump's claimed opposition to the Iraq War, "Mr. Trump and I disagreed about the Iraq war; I was for it and he was against it."{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/09/27/how-donald-trump-and-sean-hannitys-iraq-war-story-evolved/|title=How Donald Trump and Sean Hannity's Iraq War story evolved|first=Callum|last=Borchers|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=September 27, 2016|access-date=November 20, 2020}}

In June 2019, Hannity called on Trump to "bomb the hell of out Iran" after Iran shot down a U.S. drone.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/hannity-warns-iran-youre-going-to-get-the-living-crap-bombed-out-of-you|title=Hannity Warns Iran: 'You're Going to Get the Living Crap Bombed Out of You'|last=Baragona|first=Justin|website=The Daily Beast|date=June 21, 2019|access-date=July 1, 2019|language=en}} After the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, Hannity opened his show by saying, "tonight the world is safer as one of the most ruthless, evil war criminals on Earth has been brought to justice."{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/04/media/fox-news-iran-soleimani/index.html|title=Fox's Tucker Carlson breaks with colleagues and criticizes Trump's strike on Iranian general|first=Brain|last=Stelter|work=CNN|date=January 5, 2020|access-date=November 20, 2020}}

From 2015 into 2018, Fox News broadcast extensive coverage of an alleged scandal surrounding the sale of Uranium One to Russian interests, which Hannity characterized as "one of the biggest scandals in American history".{{cite web |date=October 26, 2017 |title=Hannity: Uranium One Deal 'One of the Biggest Scandals in American History' |url=http://insider.foxnews.com/2017/10/25/hannity-uranium-one-deal-was-biggest-scandal-american-history-nda-lifted-informant |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803074024/http://insider.foxnews.com/2017/10/25/hannity-uranium-one-deal-was-biggest-scandal-american-history-nda-lifted-informant |archive-date=August 3, 2018 |access-date=August 3, 2018}} The Fox News coverage extended throughout the programming day, with particular emphasis by Hannity.{{cite web |date=November 8, 2017 |title=Study: Fox spent nearly 12 hours pushing the Uranium One pseudoscandal over the last three weeks |url=https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2017/11/09/study-fox-spent-nearly-12-hours-pushing-uranium-one-pseudoscandal-over-last-three-weeks/218475 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803044454/https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2017/11/09/study-fox-spent-nearly-12-hours-pushing-uranium-one-pseudoscandal-over-last-three-weeks/218475 |archive-date=August 3, 2018 |access-date=August 3, 2018 |website=Media Matters for America}} The network promoted a narrative asserting that, as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton personally approved the Uranium One sale in exchange for $145{{spaces}}million in bribes paid to the Clinton Foundation. Donald Trump repeated these allegations as a candidate and as president.{{cite web |last=Factbase |title=Donald Trump Complete – Search Tweets, Speeches, Policies – Factbase |url=https://factba.se/search#%22uranium+one%22 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180809150520/https://factba.se/search#%22uranium+one%22 |archive-date=August 9, 2018 |access-date=August 3, 2018 |website=Factbase|date=April 16, 2018 }} No evidence of wrongdoing by Clinton had been found after three years of allegations, an FBI investigation, and the 2017 appointment of a Federal attorney to evaluate the investigation. In November 2017, Fox News host Shepard Smith concisely debunked the alleged scandal, including saying that Clinton did not personally approve the sale, infuriating viewers who suggested he should work for CNN or MSNBC.{{cite news |title=Fox News's Shepard Smith debunks his network's favorite Hillary Clinton 'scandal,' infuriates viewers |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/11/15/fox-news-shepherd-smith-debunks-his-networks-hillary-clinton-scandal-story-infuriates-viewers/ |url-status=live |access-date=August 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806134030/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/11/15/fox-news-shepherd-smith-debunks-his-networks-hillary-clinton-scandal-story-infuriates-viewers/ |archive-date=August 6, 2018}}{{cite web |last=fb |date=November 15, 2017 |title=Fox News Reports: Sean Hannity Is a Liar |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A9EV64aX_Q |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/7A9EV64aX_Q |archive-date=October 30, 2021 |access-date=August 3, 2018 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} Hannity later called Smith "clueless", while Smith stated, "I get it, that some of our opinion programming is there strictly to be entertaining. I get that. I don't work there. I wouldn't work there."{{cite web |title=Fox News fight: Shepard Smith, Sean Hannity trade insults |date=March 16, 2018 |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/television/shepard-smith-fox-news-trump-sean-hannity-20180316.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803044423/http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/television/shepard-smith-fox-news-trump-sean-hannity-20180316.html |archive-date=August 3, 2018 |access-date=August 3, 2018}}{{cite web |last=Ecarma |first=Caleb |date=March 15, 2018 |title=Shepard Smith on Fox News 'Opinion Programming': Shows Exist 'Strictly to Be Entertaining' |url=https://www.mediaite.com/tv/shepard-smith-calls-out-fox-news-opinion-programming-those-shows-exist-strictly-to-be-entertaining/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803074031/https://www.mediaite.com/tv/shepard-smith-calls-out-fox-news-opinion-programming-those-shows-exist-strictly-to-be-entertaining/ |archive-date=August 3, 2018 |access-date=August 3, 2018 |website=Mediaite |publisher=Abrams Media |location=New York City}}

A two-year Justice Department investigation initiated after Trump became president found no evidence to justify pursuing a criminal investigation.{{cite news |last1=Barrett |first1=Devlin |last2=Zapotosky |first2=Matt |title=Justice Dept. winds down Clinton-related inquiry once championed by Trump. It found nothing of consequence. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/justice-dept-winds-down-clinton-related-inquiry-once-championed-by-trump-it-found-nothing-of-consequence/2020/01/09/ca83932e-32f9-11ea-a053-dc6d944ba776_story.html |access-date=April 25, 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 9, 2020}}

In February 2020, amid the spread of COVID-19 to the United States, Hannity said "many on the left are now all rooting for corona to wreak havoc in the United States. Why? To score cheap, repulsive political points."{{Cite news|last1=Grynbaum|first1=Michael M.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/28/business/media/coronavirus-right-wing-media.html|title=Right-Wing Media Says Virus Fears Were Whipped Up to Hurt Trump|date=March 2, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 9, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} In March 2020, he characterized the virus as a "hoax",{{Cite news|last=Smith|first=Ben|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/22/business/coronavirus-fox-news-lachlan-murdoch.html|title=Rupert Murdoch Put His Son in Charge of Fox. It Was a Dangerous Mistake.|date=March 22, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 23, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} and said it "may be true" that the outbreak was a "fraud" perpetrated by the "deep state".{{Cite news|last1=Peters|first1=Jeremy W.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/11/us/politics/coronavirus-conservative-media.html|title=If Sean Hannity Thinks Coronavirus Panic Is a 'Hoax,' How Many Millions of His Listeners Do Too?|date=March 11, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 12, 2020|last2=Grynbaum|first2=Michael M.|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/sean-hannity-it-may-be-true-deep-state-using-coronavirus-manipulate-markets|title=Sean Hannity: The 'deep state' may be using coronavirus to manipulate markets, suppress dissent and push mandated medicines|website=Media Matters for America|date=March 11, 2020 |language=en|access-date=March 12, 2020}} Later in March, as the disease spread into a global pandemic and Trump declared it a national emergency, Hannity started to take the virus more seriously, denying that he had referred to it as a hoax less than a month earlier.{{Cite news|last=Peters|first=Jeremy W.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/us/politics/hannity-limbaugh-trump-coronavirus.html|title=Alarm, Denial, Blame: The Pro-Trump Media's Coronavirus Distortion|date=April 1, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 2, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2020/3/20/21186727/hannity-coronavirus-coverage-fox-news|title=Hannity claims he's "never called the virus a hoax" 9 days after decrying Democrats' "new hoax"|last=Rupar|first=Aaron|date=March 20, 2020|website=Vox|language=en|access-date=March 23, 2020}} In July 2021, on live television, Hannity encouraged the audience to consider vaccination.{{Citation|title=Sean Hannity makes an unexpected statement live on Fox News - CNN Video (20 July 2021)|date=July 20, 2021 |url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/media/2021/07/20/sean-hannity-vaccines-covid-19-vpx-new.cnn|access-date=July 21, 2021}}

Hannity was a major promoter of allegations that President Joe Biden had acted corruptly through involvement in the business affairs of his son Hunter Biden, characterizing the men as leaders of the "Biden crime family." CNN characterized Hannity as "the primary vehicle for driving the narrative to the GOP base." Hannity alleged the president had been "very credibly accused of public corruption on a scale this country has never seen before," including taking a bribe from a Ukrainian businessman, as alleged by a "highly credible" FBI informant. Analysis by Media Matters found that Hannity had discussed the bribery allegation on his program 85 times in 2023, and had hosted James Comer, chair of the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee investigation into the Biden family 43 times to discuss the investigation that year. Hannity ran at least 115 segments in 2023 falsely alleging that as vice president Joe Biden had corruptly pressured Ukraine to fire its prosecutor general Viktor Shokin to protect Hunter Biden and his employer, Burisma, from an investigation.

Comer began investigating the Bidens in January 2023 but did not find evidence of wrongdoing by the president; nevertheless, Republicans who controlled the House voted unanimously to initiate an impeachment inquiry in December 2023. The FBI informant who made the bribery allegation was indicted in February 2024 on charges he had fabricated the story; the indictment alleged the informant, Alexander Smirnov, was associated with Russian intelligence. Hannity did not mention the development on his program that night, and Media Matters reported that by April 2024 he had not mentioned the Biden inquiry or hosted Comer for a month. Lacking evidence and Republican appetite to proceed to impeachment hearings with their thin House majority, by March 2024 the impeachment inquiry was winding down.{{cite news |last1=Darcy |first1=Oliver |title=Sean Hannity and right-wing media claimed the 'Biden crime family' took millions in bribes. Their narrative just fell apart |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/16/media/sean-hannity-right-wing-media-biden-bribes/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=February 22, 2024}}{{cite magazine |last1=Glasser |first1=Susan B. |title=The Crazy Collapse Of The House GOP's Impeachment Case Against Biden |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-bidens-washington/the-crazy-collapse-of-the-house-gops-impeachment-case-against-biden |magazine=The New Yorker |date=February 22, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Gertz |first1=Matt |title=STUDY: How Sean Hannity helped build the GOP's collapsing Hunter Biden impeachment case |url=https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/study-how-sean-hannity-helped-build-gops-collapsing-hunter-biden-impeachment-case#paragraph--section-heading--3457290 |publisher=Media Matters |date=February 12, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Mascaro |first1=Lisa |title=Republicans make last-ditch request for Biden to testify as impeachment inquiry winds down |url=https://apnews.com/article/biden-impeachment-hunter-biden-comer-f09ba1ae3b7bda703a5a84530f56d70f |publisher=Associated Press |date=March 20, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Grayer |first1=Annie |title=White House declines invite for Biden to testify in House Oversight impeachment inquiry |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/15/politics/biden-declines-invitation-impeachment-inquiry/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=April 15, 2024|quote=House Republicans have not uncovered evidence of wrongdoing by the president and currently do not have the votes in the House to impeach him given their narrow, divided majority}}{{cite news |title=Fox News' failed attempt to use Hunter Biden to gin up an impeachment of his father, by the numbers |url=https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/fox-news-failed-attempt-use-hunter-biden-gin-impeachment-his-father-numbers |publisher=Media Matters |date=April 25, 2024}}

Hannity met Jill Rhodes in 1991 when he worked at WVNN in Huntsville, Alabama and she was a political columnist for the Huntsville Times.{{Cite web|title=The (Far) Right Stuff|url=https://people.com/archive/the-far-right-stuff-vol-57-no-5/|date=February 11, 2002|access-date=February 18, 2021|website=People|language=EN}} The two married in 1993. In June 2020, the couple announced that they had divorced the previous year but had separated years prior.{{cite news|last=Trepany|first=Charles|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/06/03/sean-hannity-wife-jill-rhodes-announce-divorce-ask-privacy/3139114001/|title=Sean Hannity, wife Jill Rhodes have divorced after decades of marriage|work=USA Today|date=June 3, 2020|access-date=June 3, 2020}}

Hannity has since dated Fox News colleague Ainsley Earhardt.{{cite news|url=https://people.com/tv/sean-hannity-secretively-dating-ainsley-earhardt-source-says/|title=Fox News' Sean Hannity & Ainsley Earhardt Have Been Dating 'Very Secretively for Years': Source|first1=Adam|last1=Carlson|first2=Claudia|last2=Harmata|first3=Charlotte|last3=Triggs|work=People|date=June 11, 2020|access-date=November 19, 2020}} In August 2019, Hannity and Earhardt arrived together as guests for a wedding at Trump National Golf Course in Colts Neck, New Jersey. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she hosted her Fox & Friends program from a remote studio in the basement of Hannity's Long Island mansion.{{Cite magazine|last=Sherman|first=Gabriel|title=Scoop: Sean Hannity and Ainsley Earhardt Are the First Couple of Fox|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/06/scoop-sean-hannity-and-ainsley-earhardt-are-the-first-couple-of-fox|date=June 11, 2020|access-date=February 18, 2021|magazine=Vanity Fair|language=en-us}} It was announced that Hannity proposed to Earhardt on Christmas Day 2024 at a church in Florida.{{Cite web |title=Sean Hannity Proposes to Fellow Fox News Host Ainsley Earhardt on Christmas Day |url=https://people.com/sean-hannity-fellow-fox-news-host-ainsley-earhardt-engaged-8766822 |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=People.com |language=en}}

Hannity has two children from his marriage to Rhodes: a son, Patrick, born in 1998, and daughter, Merri, born in 2001. Both children graduated from Cold Spring Harbor High School. Patrick attended Wake Forest University where he played tennis.{{Cite web|title=Patrick Hannity – Men's Tennis|url=https://godeacs.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/patrick-hannity/2650|access-date=February 18, 2021|website=Wake Forest University Athletics|language=en}}{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2014/dirt/real-estalker/is-sean-hannity-saying-bye-bye-to-new-york-1201237414/|title=Is Sean Hannity Saying Bye-Bye To New York| magazine=Variety|date=February 9, 2014|first=Mark|last=David|access-date=September 5, 2014| archive-date=September 5, 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140905163930/http://variety.com/2014/dirt/real-estalker/is-sean-hannity-saying-bye-bye-to-new-york-1201237414/|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|last=Lipton |first=Michael A. |url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20136407,00.html |title=The (Far) Right Stuff |magazine=People|volume=57|issue=5|date=February 11, 2002 |access-date=September 2, 2013|archive-date= March 15, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200315170919/https://people.com/archive/the-far-right-stuff-vol-57-no-5/|url-status=live}} Merri attends The University of Michigan where she also plays tennis. In high school, Merri was the fourth highest ranked tennis player in New York State.{{Cite web|title=Merri Kelly – Women's Tennis|url=https://mgoblue.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/merri-kelly/21705|access-date=February 18, 2021|website=University of Michigan Athletics|language=en}}

In 2014, he said he has carried a weapon "more than half my adult life".{{cite news |last=de Moraes |first=Lisa |url=https://deadline.com/2014/10/piers-morgan-sean-hannity-gun-control-debate-847112/ |title=Piers Morgan Resurfaces On Cable News, Talking Guns With FNC's Sean Hannity |work=Deadline |date=October 6, 2014 |access-date=October 7, 2014 }} According to Hannity, he has a brown belt in martial arts and trains four days a week in the sport.{{cite web|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/sean-hannity-25-things-you-dont-know-about-me-w464443/|title=Sean Hannity: 25 Things You Don't Know About Me ('I Have a Brown Belt in Martial Arts!')|work=Us Weekly|date=February 2, 2017|access-date=November 20, 2020}}

In 2018, Forbes estimated that Hannity's annual income was $36{{spaces}}million. In April 2021, he purchased a $5.3 million house several miles from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence.{{Cite web|last=Moran|first=Lee|date=April 22, 2021|title=Sean Hannity Spends $5 Million On Townhouse Near Trump's Mar-A-Lago|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sean-hannity-townhouse-donald-trump_n_608120b5e4b082bab0088ffe|access-date=April 22, 2021|website=HuffPost|language=en}}

In 2024, Hannity announced that he had moved from his home in Long Island, New York to Florida and would be broadcasting The Sean Hannity Show and Hannity from his new home permanently.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-02 |title=Sean Hannity Announces He's Left New York and Moving to Florida Full Time |url=https://www.mediaite.com/news/just-in-sean-hannity-announces-hes-left-new-york-and-moving-to-florida-full-time/ |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=Mediaite |language=en}}

• Hannity, Sean (2002). Let Freedom Ring: Winning the War of Liberty over Liberalism, New York: ReganBooks, {{ISBN|0-06-051455-8}}.
• Hannity, Sean (2004). Deliver Us from Evil: Defeating Terrorism, Despotism, and Liberalism, New York: ReganBooks, {{ISBN|0-06-058251-0}}.
• Hannity, Sean (2010). Conservative Victory: Defeating Obama's Radical Agenda, New York: Harper Paperbacks, {{ISBN|0-06-200305-4}}.
• Hannity, Sean (2020). Live Free Or Die: America (and the World) on the Brink, New York: Simon & Schuster, {{ISBN|978-1-982-14-9970}}.

• Fox News controversies
• New Yorkers in journalism

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• {{Official website|https://www.hannity.com}}
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• {{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2002/01/14/radios-new-right-fielder/79777e46-e522-4de0-ae3b-6c6962c4ce8e/ |title=Radio's New Right-Fielder |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 14, 2002 |first=Howard |last=Kurtz |access-date=November 4, 2006 |archive-date=June 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200603190356/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2002/01/14/radios-new-right-fielder/79777e46-e522-4de0-ae3b-6c6962c4ce8e/ |url-status=live }}
• {{IMDb name|0360458}}

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