Speculation About Karoline Leavitt’s Replacement Begins
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s run as lead spokesperson for President Donald Trump and his administration lasted nearly two years, but it will come to an end later this month.
Now, the question is, who will replace her, and it appears that
question has been answered.
Trump made the announcement himself on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, noting that Leavitt – who had another child earlier this year – is leaving to spend more time with her family, calling it “a decision I totally understand and respect.”
The president said she will remain with the administration in an outside advisory role.
He also said that she had become “an influential voice within the Republican Party” as the GOP works over the next few months to hold onto Congress.
As to who will replace her, as of Thursday morning, no successor had been named.
Sources both inside and outside the administration told the New York Post that two early front-runners for the position are former acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba and Breitbart Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle.
Habba rose to national prominence as one of President Trump’s defense attorneys, frequently appearing in television interviews to advocate for him during his legal battles.
She later joined the White House as a counselor to the president before Trump tapped her to serve as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor.
In addition to her extensive experience as a Trump spokesperson and polished on-camera presence, her selection would mirror Trump’s first-term decision to appoint attorney Kayleigh McEnany as press secretary.
McEnany, who joined Fox News after Trump left office following his loss to Joe Biden, earned praise from many conservatives for her forceful defense of the president and her ability to communicate the administration’s agenda.
Boyle, meanwhile, is viewed as a leading contender among Trump allies, who point to the Breitbart Washington bureau chief’s years of experience, aggressive reporting style, and prominent role within conservative media circles.
Karoline Leavitt walked away to be with her kids… and the race to replace her started before the ink was dry.
Hours after she announced she was stepping down, the betting markets already
locked in their favorites: Anna Kelly and Alina Habba are now sitting at the top of the… pic.twitter.com/1SydH5w9Pe
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 13, 2026
Other potential candidates include White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, a longtime Trump adviser and spokesman recognized for his aggressive defense of the president, and Taylor Rogers, a senior communications official who previously served on Trump’s campaign.
Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston and longtime Trump aide Margo Martin, one of the president’s closest communications advisers, have also been mentioned as possible candidates for the role.
Katie Miller and Kari Lake are also viewed as notable contenders.
Miller, the wife of Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, has extensive experience in Republican political communications, having served in the first Trump administration and remained an outspoken advocate for the president’s agenda.
Lake, a former television news anchor, brings decades of broadcasting experience and has developed a close political relationship with Trump.
She most recently served in a senior position at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, further expanding her experience in public communications.
Leavitt wrote a lengthy farewell on the X platform.
“Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime,” she began.
“I am incredibly grateful to President Trump for granting me so many extraordinary opportunities, such as working in the West Wing and spending countless hours in the Oval Office, flying around the world and meeting foreign leaders, and traveling across our beautiful country and meeting Americans from all walks of life,” she said.
“Most of all, I am thankful to the President for entrusting me with the distinct privilege of speaking on his behalf at the White House podium,” Leavitt added.
“I have spoken with great pride about the many historic accomplishments of this Administration, and I have relished holding the liberal media accountable and ensuring the American people hear the truth about President Trump’s successes,” she said.
