Karoline Leavitt has been named by President-elect Donald Trump as his campaign spokesperson and the chosen press secretary for his upcoming administration.
“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,” Trump stated on Friday. “Karoline is intelligent, resilient, and a very good communicator. As we work to ‘Make America Great Again,’ I am certain that she will be a great spokesperson and help convey our message to the American people.”
At 27, Leavitt will surpass Ron Ziegler, the press secretary during the Nixon administration, who was 29 when he held the position from 1969 to 1974, thus becoming the youngest White House press secretary in American history. “I appreciate your belief in me, President Trump. I feel honored and humbled. Let’s MAGA!” Leavitt posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday evening.
As the national press secretary for the campaign, Leavitt mobilized Trump’s supporters while acting as his staunch defender against political attacks from Democrats and the Harris campaign. “They made him take a mug shot against his will. His name was attempted to be taken off the ballot. They made him spend six weeks sitting in a filthy courthouse. After the election, Leavitt stated last week on ‘Fox & Friends’ that ‘two people tried to kill him, for goodness’ sake.’ The American people see in Donald Trump a clear leader who, even in the darkest of times, will raise his fist in the air and say, ‘fight, fight, fight’ for this country.”
Voters appear to rank democracy as their top concern, believing that President Trump is the most qualified individual to protect it. Leavitt continued, “The Democrats’ message in these last few weeks of the campaign is that the American people don’t believe he poses a threat to democracy.”
Before this, Leavitt served as the assistant press secretary under Kayleigh McEnany in Trump’s first administration. The New Hampshire native won the primary but lost the general election in 2022 while running for Congress to represent the state’s 1st Congressional District.
Other individuals speculated to be considered for the press secretary position include Trump’s legal spokeswoman Alina Habba, former President George W. Bush aide and CNN contributor Scott Jennings, longtime Trump adviser and ally Jason Miller, and campaign spokesman Steven Cheung. Earlier on Friday, Trump appointed Cheung as his communications director. Former ESPN host Sage Steele, RNC spokesperson Elizabeth Pipko, and former Trump administration staffer Monica Crowley were also mentioned as potential candidates.
Sean Spicer was named Trump’s first press secretary in 2016, serving from January 20 to July of the same year. Stephanie Grisham, McEnany, and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who is now the governor of Arkansas, were also part of Trump’s first administration.
With more than 20 appointments announced just over a week after Election Day, Trump’s second administration is forming much more quickly than his transition in 2016. Notable appointments include Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as attorney general, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to head the State Department, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
“President Trump was mandated to carry out the pledges he made during his campaign by the overwhelming majority of Americans who re-elected him, and his Cabinet choices demonstrate his commitment to putting America first.” When asked about Trump’s swift selection of Cabinet members earlier this week, Leavitt told Fox News Digital, “President Trump will continue to appoint highly qualified men and women who have the talent, experience, and necessary skills to make America great again.”