FOX News host Kimberly Guilfoyle is in conversations with the Trump administration about replacing Sean Spicer as White House press secretary.

The former San Francisco prosecutor has confirmed to the Mercury News in San Jose, California, that taking that job or having another press role in the White House has been “raised by a number of people” in the Trump administration.

“I’m a patriot, and it would be an honour to serve the country,” Guilfoyle told the newspaper.

“I think it’d be a fascinating job. It’s a challenging job, and you need someone really determined and focused, a great communicator in there with deep knowledge to be able to handle that position.”

Guilfoyle, who is one of the co-hosts of the Fox News show, The Five, said she’s regularly in touch with members of the administration as part of her job.

But Newsweek reported that a Fox News spokesperson confirmed to the magazine that Guilfoyle was still under contract to the network.

“Kimberly is a valued member of the FOX News primetime lineup, and is under a long-term contract with the network,” it said in a statement.

Guilfoyle’s confirmation of the discussions comes at a time of persistent speculation that Mr Trump was looking to clean out his communications team, with the President reportedly blaming Mr Spicer for much of the negative media fallout from his decision to sack FBI director James Comey.

On Tuesday she released her own statement which seemed to cast doubt on what many US media outlets seemed to be portraying as a probability.

“As I stated in the interview, I really love what I do and my job co-hosting The Five is tough to beat,” the statement read.

Guilfoyle, 48, is a former San Francisco and Los Angeles prosecutor who was married for four years to California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, a strident critic of Mr Trump and his policies, particularly on immigration.

The two separated in 2005 when she moved to New York to start a career in television.

Guilfoyle has interviewed Mr Trump many times on the network, while her son, Ronan, went to the same school as Mr Trump’s granddaughter, Kai, the daughter of Donald Trump Jr. and wife Vanessa.

She told US media earlier this week that she had no problem with the presumed “significant” pay cut she would suffer by leaving Fox to go into public service.

“I’ve never been someone who’s motivated by financial interests,” she said.

“I really don’t think of that in terms of any obstacle, if you’re passionate about it and you feel like you have a calling for anything in life.”

She was originally considered for press secretary during the presidential transition, but the job went to Mr Spicer, who was spokesman for the Republican National Committee.

Guilfoyle on Monday wished Mr Spicer well.

“Sean Spicer is a very nice man and a patriot; he’s dedicated himself to this public service,” she said. “Very tough position he’s in — I wish him the best, and I know he puts a lot of effort into it.”

Mr Spicer was absent from press briefings for two days last week while he carried out Navy reservist duties, a period in which he was replaced by deputy White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Mr Spicer has had a rocky run with White House press corps and been the frequent target of satire on Saturday Night Live and on social media.