In light of Donald Trump’s win, the president-elect is currently choosing members to fill his staff before his inauguration in January. One of the most pivotal and public roles of the White House administration is the press secretary. The press secretary provides daily briefings to the media on behalf of the president, making it an extremely visible role.
Trump officially named Karoline Leavitt as the press secretary for his upcoming administration. Leavitt is only 27, making her the youngest ever to hold the position.
“Thank you, President Trump, for believing in me. I am humbled and honored. Let’s MAGA!” Leavitt wrote on X.
Karine Jean-Pierre sits as the current press secretary under the Biden administration. She famously had to battle off concerns over Biden’s age amid the announcement of Biden dropping out of the race. Although vastly different in terms of political beliefs, both women must defend the sitting president and put forward a positive image of the Oval Office.
Leavitt attended Saint Anselm College and studied political science and communication. Additionally, she interned at Fox News during her studies. While at college, she played softball on scholarship. She also wrote op-eds in the campus newspaper defending Trump.
After working for Fox News, Leavitt interned at the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence. Following her graduation, she returned to work for Kayleigh McEnany, to help with press for Trump.
In 2022, Leavitt began her political career, announcing that she was running for the House of Representatives in New Hampshire. Her campaign was focused on conservative values. Although she won the Republican primary, she lost the general election. It should be noted that she won the nomination at 25 years old, making her the second member of Generation Z to win a congressional primary.
Despite her defeat, her loss raised major publicity for her career and image, eventually leading to her nominated position. If one can learn anything from her story, it’s that when one door closes, another one opens. That door might lead you to one of the most highly coveted positions in the U.S.
A potential challenge one might face when managing public relations for Trump is his frequent and constant flow of direct messages. Trump typically prefers to engage directly with people, opting for social media and rallies to communicate. This is in stark contrast to the highly regulated public relations and proofreading that communications from the president typically go through. With such a large personality as Trump, it might be difficult balancing communications and monitoring what goes through the office versus what comes directly from him.
The Trump transition team publicly announced her role on Nov. 15.
“Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communication. I have the utmost confidence she will excel at the podium,” the Trump-Vance transition team wrote in a statement.
The role of press secretary is one of the most scrutinized roles not just in the U.S., but in the entire world. Leavitt has a tough road ahead of her. With all the public attention, will she be able to thrive or will she fall under pressure?
