President-elect Donald Trump announced on Friday the appointment of Karoline Leavitt, his campaign spokeswoman, as the White House press secretary. Leavitt, 27, had previously held the role of national press secretary for Trump's campaign and had also served as assistant press secretary during his first term as the 45th president.
This means that the man set to become the oldest president in history at his January inauguration will be working with the youngest press secretary ever. "Karoline Leavitt did a phenomenal job as the National Press Secretary on my Historic Campaign, and I am pleased to announce she will serve as White House Press Secretary," Trump said in his announcement.
Oldest Teams Up with Youngest
"Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator," Trump added. "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."
During the 2022 midterm elections, Leavitt campaigned for a seat in Congress, representing New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District.
She won in the Republican primary but was defeated in the general election by Democratic incumbent Rep. Chris Pappas.
Leavitt also served as a spokesperson for Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), whom Trump has chosen to be the next ambassador to the United Nations.
Leavitt is set to become the fifth person to hold the role of White House press secretary under Trump. During his first term, the position was previously filled by Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham, and Kayleigh McEnany.
The late Ron Ziegler, who served as White House press secretary for former President Richard Nixon, previously held the title of the youngest person in the role at age 29.
A Lot of Responsibility
The new role will put Leavitt under intense scrutiny as she leads televised briefings with the White House press corps, navigates daily interactions with a media determined to hold the administration accountable, and makes regular TV appearances.
However, the 27-year-old Leavitt is already a seasoned political strategist, having previously worked in Trump's White House as part of Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany's team.
Leavitt became a mother in summer. "I had just brought my newborn, my three-day-old baby home from the hospital," she said in a recent interview with The Conservateur.
"And I said, 'I'm going to turn on the television and watch the rally today.''
It was Saturday, July 13, and the rally took place in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Holding baby Nicholas in her arms, she watched as Trump was shot in the ear, narrowly escaping death by mere inches.
"I looked at my husband and said, 'Looks like I'm going back to work.'''
After graduating from Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire, she began her career in the office of presidential correspondence, where she assisted in handling and responding to incoming mail.
She later moved to the communications team under McEnany as Trump's first term neared its end.
When Trump left office, she worked for prominent New York Rep. Elise Stefanik before running for Congress in New Hampshire, the state where she grew up working at her parents' ice cream shop.
In the 2022 midterms, she came up 15,000 votes short in her bid to become the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, as the anticipated red wave failed to materialize.
Within weeks, she returned to the Trump circle, first joining a supporting organization and later connecting with the campaign earlier this year.
