Trump appoints Karoline Leavitt as the youngest White House press secretary ever

By MICHELLE L. PRICE

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Friday named Karoline Leavitt, his campaign press secretary, as his White House press secretary.

Leavitt, 27, currently spokesperson for Trump’s transitionwould be the youngest White House press secretary in history. Previously, that award went to Ronald Ziegler, who was 29 when he took over the position in Richard Nixon’s administration in 1969.

“Karoline Leavitt did a phenomenal job as national press secretary for my historic campaign, and I am pleased to announce that she will serve as White House press secretary,” Trump said in a statement. “Karoline is smart, tough and has proven to be a very effective communicator. I have every confidence that she will excel on stage and help deliver our message to the American people as we make America great again.”

The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and has historically held daily briefings for the press corps.

Trump disrupted those norms during his first term, preferring to act as his own chief spokesperson. While president from 2017 to 2021, Trump had four press secretaries but often preferred to engage directly with the public, through his rallies, social media posts and his own briefings.

During a press conference last August, Trump was asked whether he would hold regular press conferences in his new administration. He told reporters, “I’m going to give you full access and you’re going to get a lot of press conferences, and you’re going to get, uh, from me.”

When it came to a press officer, he said: “Probably they will do something. If it’s not daily, it’s going to be a lot. You will have more than you want.”

Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, is seen as a staunch advocate for Trump, quick on his feet and aggressively defending the Republican in television interviews.