Lawrence Jones brings his signature Texas charm to cable news’ most-watched morning show as co-host of the popular “Fox & Friends.”

Much of the program’s ratings success can be credited to the Dallas native’s unique ability to infuse a touch of the Lone Star State into every show. As the youngest Black co-host in cable news, Lawrence has made his mark by launching Texas Tuesdays, a segment that celebrates the spirit and culture of Texas with audiences nationwide.

Whether he’s reporting from The Big Apple or from a storm-ravaged community, Lawrence consistently channels the resilience and warmth of his home state. Recently, he sat down with Texas Lifestyle Magazine to share about his deep love for Texas, his loyal dog Nala, and his thoughts on what it will take for society to move forward.

You’re a boots-on-the-ground guy, covering everything from fun events like rodeos to serious matters like what’s happening on the border and natural disasters in North Carolina. Why is it important to you to roll up your sleeves and be so involved?

I think everybody has their thing, and mine is with people. I can tell a story from the studio, of course, but the context, the texture, the details, the personal stories—you only get that by being there, knowing what’s going on, and seeing the key players involved. We have a great producing team at “Fox & Friends,” and they book great guests. But some of the guests that you get when you’re on the ground, you just run into them. For example, when you want to stop thinking about the story and you go somewhere, but then you run into someone, and boom, you’ve got another angle to the story. You can’t get that from the studio.

“Fox & Friends” has a segment called Texas Tuesdays. Can you tell us a little bit about this?

This was me being a little selfish. We were joking around. As much as I try to commute back and forth, I just miss Texas. I really do. New York and Texas are like night and day. The culture. The food. And so I was talking with our hair and makeup assistants, and I was like, “I just need to feel Texas. I need to start wearing my cowboy boots.” They said, “Let’s dedicate one day out of the week.” I was like, Texas Tuesday. That’s what we’re going to do.

And so every Tuesday, I put on a pair of my Luccheses or Tecovas. It’s just a little bit of home. And now people send pictures in. People celebrate all over the country, not just the people in Texas. They put on their boots; you see them dressing up with their dogs. And you see the little kiddos with their cowboy boots going to school. It’s just like something fun.

You often make the trip back home from New York to Texas. Why does it mean so much to you to still have a home here?

I’ve got to get away. I picked Weatherford, even though I’m from Dallas, for a reason. To be off the grid. No streetlights. I can see the stars. No one knows that I’m there, really. And even the people who do know, they’re super respectful. I was at CVS the other day and this lady was like, “Hey, you look like that guy on Fox, Lawrence Jones.” And I said, “Oh, sometimes I get that haha.” But then I hugged her, and I was like, ‘Hey, I’m LJ, nice to meet you.’” And it’s just a country feel. Dallas is more of a city vibe. But Weatherford is close to Cowtown, or Fort Worth; it still has that homey feeling. It’s just like isolation. I get to reset. I get to eat the food that I love. My dog Nala has plenty of land to run on while we’re there. We reset, and then we come back to the city.

Can you tell us about your dog, Nala?

She’s the best. One of my buddies in Special Forces had a dog that was a mean dog, just to be frank. And for some reason, that dog would not leave me alone. It just kept coming up to me, staying close to me. I don’t know if the dog was sensing something, but now that I train dogs, I think it was sensing that it needed love. 

One day my buddy said, “I feel like you need one. Not everyone can work with this dog.” So I said, “If you can find me one from that bloodline, then I’ll consider doing it.” On Memorial Day, I got a picture of little Nala. 

Ever since she was seven months old, she’s been with me. And, oh man, she has traveled. One year, we traveled over half a million miles together. I went through all the training necessary for her to start traveling with me. She goes to diners with me. Most of the time, when you see me on location, she’s with me.

I fell in love with the training program and earned my certification to train military dogs and law enforcement canines. I train the officers and the dogs. We have dogs in Israel. We do family protection dogs. And if I could do anything else besides TV, it would be training dogs. I wasn’t a dog person before. But now, you know, when people get so emotional about dogs, I truly understand. It’s even deeper for me because she’s with me everywhere.

The military, law enforcement, and border patrol all have a special place in your heart. Where did this respect come from?

I always felt a little guilty because I’m the first generation not to serve in the military. But I always felt this connection with the community in that way. I grew up wanting to be a cop; that was just something innate in me. The cops used to pull me out of class and take me on tour. I was an explorer for both the police and the fire department EMT. And then, recently, after I got so deep into training the K9s, I became a reserve K9 officer as well.

It’s always just been a matter of respect for me. I think when people see the military or law enforcement arrive on the scene, something bad has happened. But we need them. And of course, you always have those people who dishonor the profession. But that’s not even close to the bulk of people going out there to support families. Same for the Border Patrol guys—I love those guys. A lot of those guys are Texans, or they become Texans because of their jobs.

Do you have a favorite spot in Texas?

I’ve got 2 BBQ spots: Hard Eight and the Pecan Lodge. And I have to get Cane’s when I’m in town. Believe it or not, New York has Cane’s now. So that itch is not as bad as it used to be. And I eat pecan pie all season long. I’m always on the hunt for pecan pie.

How do your cohosts feel about all this Texas jazz?

Ainsley is a big participant because she’s from the South. She’s from South Carolina, so she gets it. Brian is from Long Island. He’s a little resistant. But slowly, I did convince him to get his first pair of cowboy boots. He doesn’t wear them consistently, but at least he got them. But it’s part of what makes the show great, because we all have our little things. We all have our own different personalities. And we’ve found a way to blend it all together. The cast is full of different perspectives, generational gaps, and cultural gaps. And I think that’s what makes the show.

I’m glad you’re able to share that Texas pride, not just with your cohosts but with the nation. We’re doing a lot of good things here in Texas. What does Texas mean to you?

Texas is home. It’s freedom. It is family. It is love. You know, the way I always explain to people is, I’m proud to be American. There’s no doubt about it. But I’m even prouder to be a Texan. For example, when I was in school, we did the Pledge of Allegiance and the Pledge to the Texas flag every morning. And they taught us how to take down the flags and fold them. 

I’ve got a Texas tattoo on my arm. There’s just so much pride. Texas teaches how to be a gentleman, too. For example, people don’t speak to each other in New York. No, “Hello, how are you doing?” You keep your head down when you move to the city. I know my neighbors in Texas, but I don’t know my neighbors in New York. I’ve been here for six years. I know one neighbor, but this whole hallway is full of people. We have land separating us in Texas, but I know who they are. And that means something.

What do you think is missing in society?

Well, I hate to dim the mood, but things aren’t going well right now for humanity. We’re killing one another. Hating each other. Everyone is being defined by their politics, who they voted for. There’s more to a person than their political candidate. Most of my friends have a totally different political view from me, and that’s totally fine. We don’t even have to discuss it because there’s more to life than that. I think, from a human standpoint, what is lacking is people talking to each other, having conversations and getting to know each other outside of what they believe. I think it’s hard to hate someone once you know who they are as a person first. And I think that’s why my friendships have been what they are for so many years; some may disagree with my political views, but they know who I am as a person. And it’s kind of hard to hate the person that deep down. I have friends with political opinions that I disagree with, but I know them as humans and I know they’re good people. I know they’re not defined by what political position they may take. It may change, just like my life—I’ve been all over the place. Libertarian, conservative, strong conservative, very progressive. That’s just who we are. We evolve, we learn. I think the best thing in life is family and food and loving each other.

It feels like true journalism should bridge that gap.

Oh, 100%. I truly believe this about the state of media. I learned this firsthand. 

I’m a fan of barbershops. That’s the center of politics where I grew up. At the barbershop, you get to know everything. What’s happening to the community, what’s going on. I remember when President Trump—then presidential candidate Trump—went to the barbershop with me in the Bronx, New York, which is not a Republican town but rather AOC’s district. He actually won that same district. How does that happen? How does that work? How can someone vote for AOC and Trump? He made a connection there with the people through the Bronx. Latin and Black, they were trying to get in and see the President. I think that’s like extending the olive branch. He didn’t know whether the people would support him, but he went. We’ve got all these folks in the barbershop from different backgrounds, and we’re all just talking like dudes. It was incredible.

Are there any plans to come back to Texas? What does the future look like for you?

Eventually, I want to get to a place in my life where I can have a Texas ranch. That’s my goal. One of the things that people who truly know me understand is that I’m an extreme introvert. I know it’s hard because you see me with people most of the time. And when I’m out there in the field, it’s about them. It has nothing to do with me. It’s about interviewing them and telling their stories. Although the camera is on me, to me it’s on them. I’m not nervous because I’m telling their story. 

When I’m not on TV, I’m a homebody. I like to be by myself. I want to learn how to take all the training my grandparents gave me on working the farm and hunting hogs. I want to grow my own food on my own property with my own dogs, my own horses, and my own livestock. I want that to be something. We’re in such a health kick now. The best way to guarantee that you have clean ingredients from top to bottom is for it to be from you.

Watch Lawrence on your TV every weekday morning on “FOX & Friends” from 6-9 a.m. ET.

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Cover Photo courtesy Fox & Friends

Martin Ramirez is a brisket-eating, Shiner-loving, road-tripping enthusiast of all things Texas. This Dallas-born writer / adventurer is ready to take his ‘78 El Camino to find the best in food, fun, and fitness throughout the Lone Star State.