White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s abrupt decision to leave her post has set off swift speculation across Washington over who will next take over the briefing room podium.
President Donald Trump disclosed the development Wednesday afternoon in a social media post, following a conversation with Leavitt about her decision. Her most recent public appearance alongside the president and his team came Tuesday, when she traveled on Air Force One to Ohio for the Patriot Games.
The announcement caught much of Washington, DC, off guard, in part because Leavitt had kept the details of her plans tightly held. Still, sources close to the White House told Our News Outlet that “change was in the air” over the past several weeks.
Several sources said they were surprised Trump did not name a new White House press secretary in his Truth Social post, a sign, they suggested, that no immediate successor had been chosen.
“You’ll never find another Karoline Leavitt,” one source close to the White House told Our News Outlet. “She’s irreplaceable.”
Jason Miller, a veteran Trump communications adviser who returned to the White House in July, is expected to take a leading role in press operations, according to a source close to the White House. It remained unclear, however, whether Miller would begin conducting briefings from the podium.
One source told Our News Outlet that, at least in the near term, West Wing staff are likely to revert to the same press operation routine they followed while Leavitt was on maternity leave.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s sudden announcement that she is stepping down immediately fueled speculation over who will replace her
Former Department of Homeland Security Press Secretary Katie Zacharia, pictured with Donald Trump, is seen as a possible replacement for Karoline Leavitt
Jason Miller, a longtime media advisor to US President Donald Trump, returned to the White House in July
Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly, a former beauty queen, could be in the running
Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were among the cabinet officials who performed well at the White House press briefing podium while Leavitt was absent.
There is no immediate apparent successor to Leavitt among her deputy press team, one source told Our News Outlet, although technically Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly would be considered by the West Wing as next in line.
‘They’re all great people, but my guess is that the president picks someone else outside the building,’ a source told Our News Outlet.
The press team has also had its own departures as White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson left last week and Director of Media Affairs Sonny Joy Nelson also departed earlier in the year.
Other possible candidates included former Department of Homeland Security Press Secretary Katie Zacharia, who left the building with former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem after just a few weeks in the position.
‘Trump loves Katie,’ one source noted, pointing out that the president frequently shared clips of her Fox News hits on his social media feed.
Although former DHS McLaughlin’s name is being floated as one of Leavitt’s potential successors, Our News Outlet has learned she is five months pregnant and unlikely to return.
CNN political commentator Scott Jennings was another popular choice for the job.
‘Scott Jennings could be Trump’s Tony Snow,’ a source remarked, referring to former George W Bush press secretary who left Fox News to serve at the podium.
Jennings has the ‘gravitas’ to handle the press room, sources agreed, and although he was not a traditional ‘Trump world’ figure, he is seen by many Washington insiders as someone who could perform well at the podium.
An unusual name being floated is Director of U.S. Federal Housing Bill Pulte, one of Trump’s most loyal and trusted aides.
One source noted that the combative former acting intel chief could conceivably be called up by the president, but noted darkly that ‘Susie Wiles would never go for it.’
Pulte, recently served a role as the acting director of national intelligence for 45 days to clean house at the agency, before stepping down.
Former counselor to the president Alina Habba could return to do the job, one source noted, although she left the White House in March 2025.
CNN political commentator Scott Jennings is a popular choice in Washington as a someone who could take over podium duties from Karoline Leavitt
President Donald Trump has yet to name a new press secretary to replace Karoline Leavitt
Former Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte was rumored as a long-shot possibility
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, White House communications advisor Margo Martin and executive assistant to U.S. President Donald Trump Natalie Harp traveled with the president on Tuesday
‘He knows how to do the back and forth, take a punch, deliver a punch, but do it with a smile,’ one source said.
Katie Miller, a former Department of Government Efficiency spokesperson and press secretary for Vice President Mike Pence, has also been a rumored candidate, but sources told Our News Outlet that she would not likely take the job.
She just had her fourth child this Summer. Her husband Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller is already spending significant time away from their family, a source noted.
