New York, NY – May 30, 2025, 04:16 AM ET – Fox News’ The Five co-host Dana Perino has left fans reeling after revealing her heartfelt desire to adopt a sixth child, expanding her family beyond her daughter Mira, born via surrogacy in December 2024, and her four stepchildren from husband Peter McMahon’s previous marriage. However, the 53-year-old political commentator and former White House Press Secretary attached a shocking condition to her adoption plan, sparking widespread debate and intrigue among viewers and colleagues alike.
Perino shared the bombshell during a candid moment on The Five on May 29, 2025, while discussing family values and philanthropy. “Peter and I have been talking about adopting again,” she said, referencing their recent journey into parenthood with Mira. “But I’ll only move forward if the child is a sibling to one of our current kids—biological or adopted—because I believe in keeping families together.” The condition stunned co-hosts Greg Gutfeld and Jesse Watters, with Gutfeld quipping, “Dana, that’s a tall order—adoption agencies aren’t grocery stores!” Perino laughed but stood firm, emphasizing her commitment to reuniting separated siblings.
The revelation comes as Perino, known for her disciplined approach from her time as George W. Bush’s press secretary, navigates the joys and challenges of motherhood. She has been open about her bond with McMahon’s children—Colin, Kelly, Lauren, and Mark—and her joy at welcoming Mira, named after a star to symbolize hope. However, her condition reflects a deeper personal mission: Perino has long advocated for foster care reform, often citing statistics like the 23,000 children who age out of U.S. foster care annually without permanent families, per the National Foster Youth Institute. “If we can reunite a sibling with one of our kids, it’s a chance to heal a broken bond,” she explained on air.
Adoption experts have called Perino’s condition both admirable and challenging. “Sibling reunification is a noble goal, but it’s rare to find such a specific match,” a spokesperson for AdoptUSKids told CNN. “It could take years, if it happens at all.” Perino’s stepchildren are adults, and Mira, at 5 months old, has no known siblings, making the search even more complex. Some speculate the condition might tie to one of McMahon’s grandchildren, potentially separated due to family circumstances, though no confirmation has surfaced.
The announcement has ignited a firestorm on X, trending under #PerinoAdoption, with fans divided. “Dana’s heart is in the right place—siblings shouldn’t be split!” one user wrote, while another countered, “This condition feels unrealistic. Why not just adopt a child in need?” Perino’s Fox News colleagues have weighed in, with Gutfeld praising her “big heart” but joking, “I hope she’s ready for a long wait!” Watters, a father of four, added, “Family’s everything, but this might be a stretch.”
Perino, whose net worth is estimated at $6 million, has the resources to pursue this goal, but her condition underscores her meticulous nature—seen in her 2018 preventative mastectomy due to a BRCA mutation and her disciplined career trajectory. She and McMahon, 70, a businessman, have been married since 1998, and their commitment to family has been a cornerstone of her public narrative. As Perino embarks on this ambitious adoption journey, her shocking condition has not only sparked debate but also highlighted the complexities of modern family-building, leaving fans eager to see if her dream will come to fruition.