Stephen Glenn Charles Hilton was born on 25 August 1969 in London, England. He is a British-born American conservative political commentator and former political adviser.
📅 Early Life and Family
Hilton’s parents emigrated from Hungary during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. They anglicised their surname from Hircsák to Hilton.
His father, István, was a goaltender for the Hungarian national ice hockey team. His parents divorced when Steve was five, and he lived with his mother in a cold, damp basement flat.
🎓 Education and Early Career
After graduating from Oxford University, Hilton worked for the Conservative Central Office. He bought the “New Labour, New Danger” demon eyes poster campaign for the 1996 pre-general election.
Prior to the 2005 general election, Hilton lost to Michael Gove in his bid to be the Conservative candidate in Surrey Heath.
🏛️ Government and Political Roles
Hilton served as director of strategy for British prime minister David Cameron from 2010 to 2012. His last memo advocated severe decreases in the number of civil servants and further decreases in benefits.
He hosted The Next Revolution on Fox News from 2017 to 2023. Hilton is a candidate in the 2026 California gubernatorial election.
💼 Business and Writing
Hilton was a co-founder and former CEO of Crowdpac.com. He is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller More Human: Designing A World Where People Come First.
In 2023, Hilton initiated Golden Together, a bipartisan research institute. He proposed a ballot initiative to reduce the housing shortage in California.
🗳️ Political Positions and Endorsements
Hilton endorsed Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. In 2020, he recommended that Trump end COVID-19 lockdown measures.
In January 2021, Hilton asserted the Wuhan Institute of Virology was the most likely source of the COVID-19 virus. PolitiFact described his claims as relying on unsubstantiated allegations.
On 21 April 2025, Hilton launched his campaign for Governor of California. His candidacy was endorsed by Trump on 6 April 2026.
👨👩👧 Personal Life
Hilton is married to Rachel Whetstone, a former aide to Conservative party leader Michael Howard. The couple were godparents to David Cameron’s son, Ivan.
Hilton became a US citizen in May 2021 and renounced his British citizenship in 2025.
| Category | Detail | Year | Source/Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | London, England | 25 August 1969 | Born Stephen Glenn Charles Hilton |
| Government Role | Director of Strategy for David Cameron | 2010–2012 | Worked in Number 10 |
| Fox News Show | The Next Revolution | 2017–2023 | Weekly current affairs show |
| 2026 Campaign | Candidate for Governor of California | Launched 21 April 2025 | Endorsed by Trump on 6 April 2026 |