Donald Trump names Karoline Leavitt as youngest ever White House press secretary
Karoline Leavitt, President-elect Donald Trump's campaign press secretary, was named White House press secretary on Friday.
Karoline Leavitt is 27 and currently a spokesperson for Trump's transition.
Leavitt, 27, is now a spokeswoman for Trump's transition, and would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. Ronald Ziegler, who was 29 years old when he acquired the job in Richard Nixon's administration in 1969, had previously held the honor.
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"Karoline Leavitt did a phenomenal job as the National Press Secretary on my Historic Campaign, and I am pleased to announce she will serve as White House Press Secretary," he said in a statement. "Karoline is smart, tough, and an excellent communicator. I am confident she will succeed at the platform and help relay our message to the American people as we work to make America great again."
The White House press secretary is the administration's public face and has traditionally given daily news conferences.
Trump defied such conventions throughout his first term, choosing to act as his own top spokesperson. From 2017 until 2021, Trump had four press secretaries but preferred to communicate directly with the public through rallies, social media posts, and his own briefings.
At a news conference in August, Trump was asked if he would hold frequent press briefings in his new government. He stated to the media: "I will give you total access, and you'll have a lot of press briefings, and you'll have, uh, from me."
When asked about a press secretary, he answered, "They will most likely do something. If not daily, it will be a lot. You'll get more than you want."
Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, is seen as a tenacious and camera-ready Trump supporter who is quick on her feet and makes passionate defenses of the Republican during television interviews.
She had served as a spokesman for MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic incumbent Chris Pappas.
During Trump's first term, Leavitt served in the White House press office. She later became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, whom Trump has chosen as his ambassador to the United Nations.
Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump's first press secretaries, were infamous for quarrelling with journalists. Stephanie Grisham never held a briefing. Kayleigh McEnany, her replacement, frequently admonished the media during her appearances in the White House press briefing room.
