Frontrunners emerge for Trump White House press secretary

While Donald Trump is focused for now on filling out his Cabinet, front-runners have begun to emerge for one of the toughest jobs in his White House: Press secretary.

Among the favorites are Karoline Leavitt, who has acted as Trump's spokesperson throughout the campaign, and Scott Jennings, a CNN political commentator who has been a fixture on the network defending Trump.

Other names mentioned by people close to Trump's operation, who were granted anonymity to speak about who could fill the role, include Fox News commentator Katie Pavlich, former White House spokesman Hogan Gidley, spokesman for America First Policy Institute's Marc Lotter, RNC spokesperson Elizabeth Pipko, and former Treasury official Monica Crowley.

Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News star who has a talk show and podcast "The Megyn Kelly Show," endorsed Trump and appeared with him on stage at a campaign rally, and has also been floated as an option.

When asked whether or not she had declined the role of press secretary, she told POLITICO, "No comment."

Second to the president, there's no White House role with as much constant visibility as press secretary. And there are additional challenges: The next press secretary will take on a job that is changing rapidly along with the media environment. She or he will need to be able to handle the daily demands of the press corps, navigate questions at the podium, and of course, manage the expectations of a president who is acutely attuned to headlines and TV chyrons.

"From the president's perspective, the No. 1 thing he has to have in that role is that person's confidence because he doesn't see a distinction between comms director and press secretary," a former senior administration official said.

"They are not only in the Oval Office but in a giant meeting on weedy policy. Part of the job is going on TV and being in the briefing room. Part of the job is managing a team in addition to working with comms and digital teams and delivering the message on behalf of the president. And if he doesn't trust your ability to do all of those things, then you can't perform in that role," the person said.

There's been some public jockeying for the role. A story in Mediaite on Tuesday night touted Trump attorney Alina Habba as the frontrunner but that was dismissed by some people close to Trump. Others, like Arizona-based communications professional Melissa Rein Lively , are waging social media campaigns to be a contender.

Members of Trump's 2024 campaign like his spokesperson Steven Cheung, who served in the first Trump White House, Danielle Alvarez, and Brian Hughes could come back to serve in senior communications roles. Taylor Budowich, who served as a spokesperson for Trump, is returning to the White House as an assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel.

Trump allies are already starting to weigh in on his options.

"I think would make an incredible White House Press Secretary," Trump ally and conservative commentator Jack Posobiec wrote of Leavitt on X.

would be an incredible press secretary," said hedge fund manager and Trump supporter Bill Ackman.

One person close to Trump said that the public should continue to expect him to largely be his own press secretary and communicate directly to people through his social media posts, impromptu press conferences or phone calls to reporters.

A transition official declined to comment on the press secretary speculation. "The president is in the process of making the greatest choices and when he makes those choices, they will be announced," said a transition official. "Anything else is pure speculation."

Leavitt, 27, worked in the first Trump administration as an assistant press secretary before running for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022. She won the Republican primary for the 1st District before losing the general election. Leavitt also served as spokesperson for Trump ally Rep. Elise Stefanik , (R-N.Y.), who Trump tapped to be United States ambassador to the United Nations.

On the Trump campaign, Leavitt was a spokesperson and key member of the communications team, making frequent appearances on cable TV and responding to press inquiries. According to people on the campaign, she was well liked by her colleagues. She has also shown herself unafraid to tussle with the press on television and already has the public support of some Trump allies.

Jennings became a political celebrity during the 2024 election for his daily defense of Trump and conservatism on CNN programming. He was a special assistant to President George W. Bush, and is close to his home state Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell . While many people close to Trump say he could be effective at the podium, he is also considered an asset on CNN's airwaves, where he is sometimes the lone Trump-defending voice.

Jennings recently met with Howard Lutnick, Trump's transition co-chair, in New York to discuss joining the administration, according to one person familiar with the meeting. Jennings declined to comment.

Ari Fleischer, a former press secretary under President George W. Bush, said that Trump has the opportunity to revamp the role after a presidential election in which both campaigns frequently turned to non-mainstream news outlets for interviews and coverage.

"The role of the press secretary in the Trump administration is going to be dealing with adversaries who can't stand Trump," Fleischer said. "To know who would make the press secretary [role] depends on what the president wants to do — is it to fight adversaries in the press room, or rethink the role and do things differently?"

"It's going to be unpopular in media circles — this is the time for the Trump administration to fundamentally rethink what the role of the press should be in the United States," said Fleischer. "This is a rare opportunity and they don't have to be tethered to old ways — the White House briefing room is an anachronism, it's the last bastion of manstrain media."

Some Trump allies have suggested overhauling the White House press operation entirely, and pushing aside the established traditions of the White House Correspondents' Association.

"The White House Correspondents Association freezes out conservative media in press briefings. NYT, AP, other far left wing outlets sit and independent media is forced to stand. If they are even allowed in the room. Susie Wiles and WH comms needs to clean house on this," wrote right wing commentator Mike Cernovich on X .

Saagar Enjeti, the host of Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar, responded on X, "The White House itself has total discretion of which norms and traditions it will abide by and after an election where independent media played such an important role it can take multiple steps to break the cartels hold on power."

Trump cycled through four press secretaries as president. He announced his first press secretary, Sean Spicer, in December of 2016. Spicer resigned after six months when the president tapped Anthony Scaramucci as the new White House communications director. Scaramucci lasted only 10 days on the job. Spicer told Fox News at the time that while Trump did not want him to leave, there were "too many cooks in the kitchen."

Spicer was succeeded by Sarah Huckabee Sanders, now governor of Arkansas, Stephanie Grisham, who later came out against Trump and spoke last summer at the Democratic National Convention, and finally Kayleigh McEnany.