Trump taps Karoline Leavitt for White House press secretary

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump on Friday announced that he is selecting Karoline Leavitt to serve as White House press secretary.

"Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator," Trump said in a statement. "I have the utmost confidence she will excel at the podium, and help deliver our message to the American People as we, Make America Great Again."

Leavitt served as his campaign’s national press secretary during this election cycle, and since Election Day, she has served as a transition team spokesperson.

"Thank you, President Trump, for believing in me. I am humbled and honored," Leavitt said in a post to X resharing Trump's announcement. "Let’s MAGA!"

In a post to X on Nov. 6, Leavitt celebrated Trump's win, thanking him for "going through hell in your selfless pursuit to Save America."

"It’s been the honor of a lifetime to speak on behalf of President Trump and this historic campaign," she said in the post. "I’ll never forget the feeling of joy when the race was officially called, standing backstage with the hardest working team in politics. In that moment, all of the blood, sweat, and tears were instantly worth it."

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Earlier on Friday, Trump tapped Steven Cheung as his incoming director of communications. Cheung held that same title on Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.

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Leavitt has defended Trump's rhetoric, saying during an Election Day interview on NBC News NOW, "when it comes to the alleged dark rhetoric, he's talking about the reality in this country right now," pointing to the number of Americans who have said they felt the country was moving in the wrong direction.

As campaign press secretary, Leavitt has also repeatedly embraced Trump's criticism of media outlets as "fake news."

Leavitt ran for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022, losing to incumbent Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt served as an assistant press secretary during Trump's first term.