Trump Faces Growing Questions Over Who Will Take Over White House Press Briefings

President Donald Trump has not announced a replacement for White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, leaving one of the most visible communications jobs in the administration open as her planned departure approaches.

Leavitt is expected to leave the position at the end of August, after recently returning from maternity leave. Trump announced her upcoming departure on August 12, saying she would step away to spend more time with her young children and family. He also said she would remain involved in his political operation as an outside adviser and play a role in the Republican Party’s efforts ahead of the November midterm elections.

The White House has not publicly identified a successor, and there is no official indication that Trump plans to make the decision immediately. That has created an unusual situation for an administration that relies heavily on direct and highly visible communication from the president and his senior aides.

The timing of the appointment is now becoming almost as important as the identity of the person who eventually gets the job. Reports about the search indicate that Trump may take his time before settling on a permanent press secretary. Some administration insiders have suggested that the White House could continue operating without a permanent replacement for a period of time, while other officials handle press briefings and communications duties.

A delay would not necessarily leave the administration without a public voice. During Leavitt’s maternity leave, other senior officials stepped in to brief reporters, showing that the White House can use a broader communications team when the press secretary is unavailable. The White House’s own records show that senior administration figures, including Cabinet officials, have participated in media briefings during the current administration.

The possibility of a longer search also reflects the importance of the position inside Trump’s political operation. The White House press secretary is responsible for communicating administration policy to reporters, defending the president’s decisions and responding to questions about breaking events. For Trump’s administration, the role has also become part of a wider communications strategy that places significant emphasis on direct messaging, conservative media and newer digital platforms.

Several names have emerged in media reports as possible candidates, although none has been publicly selected by Trump. Among those discussed are Alina Habba, a former acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey and long-time Trump ally; Scott Jennings, a CNN political commentator and Republican strategist; Matthew Boyle, Breitbart’s Washington bureau chief; Stephen Cheung, the White House communications director; and Anna Kelly, a deputy press secretary who has worked closely with Trump’s political operation. Other names have also circulated as speculation around the vacancy continues.

The list illustrates the different directions Trump could take with the appointment. He could choose someone already working inside the White House who understands its communications operation, bring in a prominent conservative media figure, or select a trusted political ally with experience defending him publicly.

That decision could become particularly significant as the November midterm elections approach. Trump’s announcement indicated that Leavitt will remain involved as an outside adviser during the Republican Party’s effort to retain control of Congress. That means the administration is losing its current press secretary at a politically sensitive point, while Leavitt herself is expected to remain active in Trump’s broader political operation.

Leavitt’s departure is also notable because of how quickly her time in the position became historically significant. At 28, she became the youngest person ever to serve as White House press secretary when she took the job in January 2025. She had already worked within Trump’s political world, including during his first administration and his 2024 presidential campaign, before becoming his principal spokesperson in the White House.

Her decision came shortly after the birth of her second child. Leavitt returned to the White House following maternity leave after her daughter, Viviana, was born on May 1. She has another young child, Niko, and said the demands of the press secretary position made it difficult to give her children the time and attention she believed they needed.

In her explanation of the decision, Leavitt described the experience of becoming a mother while holding one of the most demanding communications positions in Washington as both rewarding and challenging. Her comments made clear that the departure was presented as a personal decision centred on family rather than as an announced dismissal or disciplinary action.

Trump publicly backed that explanation and praised Leavitt’s work. He described her as one of the strongest press secretaries in the history of the office and said he understood and respected her decision. He also made clear that he intends to keep her close to his political operation in an advisory capacity.

For now, the biggest unanswered question is not whether Leavitt is leaving but when Trump will decide who comes next. The president has not announced a deadline for choosing a replacement, and the administration has not indicated that a permanent successor must be named immediately.

That leaves several possible scenarios. Trump could announce a new press secretary before Leavitt formally leaves at the end of August, allowing for a transition between the two officials. He could wait until after her departure and temporarily rely on other senior officials to handle briefings. Or he could postpone a permanent decision for considerably longer while considering candidates from inside and outside the administration.

A delayed appointment would not be unprecedented in practical terms, because White House communications responsibilities can be shared among senior officials. However, the press secretary position remains one of the administration’s most recognisable public-facing jobs, making the eventual choice likely to attract considerable attention.

The uncertainty also gives Trump considerable flexibility. Rather than immediately naming a successor, he can assess which candidate best fits his communications style, political priorities and plans for the coming election season. The search may therefore be about more than simply finding someone capable of standing behind the White House podium.

For Americans following the administration, the most important confirmed facts remain straightforward: Leavitt plans to leave at the end of August, Trump has accepted her decision, she is expected to continue working as an outside political adviser, and no permanent replacement has yet been officially announced.

Until Trump makes a formal announcement, reports about possible successors should be treated as speculation rather than confirmation. The names being discussed may change quickly, particularly because the president has not publicly committed to a specific candidate.

The next major development will therefore be Trump’s decision on whether to move quickly or conduct a longer search. With the midterm elections approaching and the White House continuing to rely heavily on direct political messaging, the person chosen to succeed Leavitt could have an important role in shaping how the administration communicates with both the news media and the American public.

Sources

The White House
Reuters
NBC News
The Hill
CNN