For the first time, his wife Stephanie spoke publicly too, stressing that their priority was letting the kids grow up “as normally as possible.”

But in their first joint appearance, Charles and Stephanie admitted there was one moment when his public world and their private life nearly collided — a moment that almost changed everything

Charles Hurt Finally Opens Up About Keeping His Family Out of the Spotlight — And His Wife Speaks Publicly for the First Time

For nearly two decades, Fox News host and Washington Times opinion editor Charles Hurt has been a familiar face to millions of Americans, his quick wit and sharp conservative takes sparking debate across the country. Yet, despite his rising visibility, very little was ever known about his private life. His wife and children rarely appeared in photos, interviews, or even passing anecdotes. Now, for the first time, Hurt is breaking his silence on why he made a deliberate choice to keep his family in the background — and his wife, Stephanie, is speaking out publicly for the first time.

“I always believed that my career should never define my children,” Hurt said in a candid conversation during a recent sit-down interview. “When you work in politics and media, you’re constantly surrounded by noise. People say things about you — often unfairly, sometimes viciously. I couldn’t control that for myself, but I could control how much of it touched my wife and kids. That’s why I made the choice early on to keep them as low-key as possible.”

Stephanie, who has been married to Hurt for over 20 years, has never spoken publicly until now. Sitting beside her husband, she nodded as he spoke, then added her own perspective. “There were times when people asked why I wasn’t more visible, or why we never did photo spreads or family interviews,” she said. “The truth is, we were raising three children during some very heated political years. Our priority was letting them be kids — go to school, play sports, have friends — without anyone looking at them through the lens of who their father was on TV.”

Hurt admitted that the decision wasn’t always easy. “Sometimes the kids would ask why we couldn’t go to certain events or why I didn’t post pictures of them the way some of their friends’ parents did,” he explained. “And I’d tell them, ‘Someday you’ll thank me.’ I wanted them to grow up grounded, not as ‘the son of this guy’ or ‘the daughter of that Fox host.’”

Stephanie shared one personal moment that underscored the importance of that choice. “When our oldest, Lily, was in middle school, a classmate brought in a printout of something Charles had written, and there was some teasing,” she recalled. “That was when we realized just how quickly kids could be dragged into adult debates. After that, it was even clearer: the less exposure, the better.”

The couple, who are parents to Lily, Henry, and Sam, also acknowledged that the children themselves are now old enough to appreciate the decision. “Our boys joke about how they’re the only teenagers in America with virtually no digital footprint,” Charles said, laughing. “But even they say now, ‘Yeah, Dad, you were right. We get to choose what to share about ourselves.’ That was the whole point.”

Stephanie admitted she was hesitant to speak publicly at all, but ultimately felt it was time to explain. “People make up stories when they don’t know the truth,” she said quietly. “So here it is: we weren’t hiding. We were protecting. Our family life is normal, even boring at times. But it’s ours, and keeping it private kept us sane.”

When asked whether he had any regrets, Hurt was firm. “Not a one. My career has been out there for everyone to dissect. My family? That’s off-limits. That boundary has kept us close, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

For a man who has built his reputation on opinionated television moments and fiery commentary, Charles Hurt’s decision to finally pull back the curtain on his private life reveals a softer, more protective side. And for the first time, with his wife’s voice finally in the mix, the reasoning behind his fiercely guarded family life has come into focus.