Karoline Leavitt, Youngest White House Press Secretary, Set for Briefing Room Debut

Karoline Leavitt, Youngest White House Press Secretary, Set for Briefing Room Debut

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(WASHINGTON) – Karoline Leavitt, the youngest press secretary in White House history, will make her debut at the first press briefing of President Donald Trump’s second term on Tuesday, taking on the historic role at just 27 years old.

"I’m excited to take the podium and answer questions from the media," Leavitt said in a Thursday interview with Newsmax. "The media is welcome to cover this White House, and we will provide them with honest and accurate information, which I look forward to doing."

Leavitt’s debut will make her the youngest press secretary to ever stand at the podium in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, surpassing Ronald Ziegler, who was 29 when he held the position during President Ronald Reagan's administration.

She’s also planning to break from tradition by ditching the typical binder that previous press secretaries, from both Republican and Democratic administrations, carried with them during briefings. "I might bring some notes with me, but my binder is in my brain because I know President Trump’s policies, and we have truth on our side at this White House," she told Fox and Friends the morning after Trump's inauguration.

Leavitt most recently served as Trump's spokesperson during his 2024 presidential campaign and transition. She also previously worked in his first administration and for GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik, who Trump later appointed as U.S. ambassador to the U.N.

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

While Leavitt has not committed to holding daily briefings, a staple of the first Trump administration, she emphasized her readiness to face any media challenges. "We hope there will be decorum, certainly, and we will try to instill that. But we're not shy of hostile media," she said in a November appearance on Fox News.

Before joining Trump’s 2023 campaign, Leavitt ran for Congress in New Hampshire’s competitive 1st District. Although she won a hard-fought Republican primary, she lost the general election to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas by nine points.

As part of the new administration, Leavitt also revealed that she had raised over $210,000 in donations during her campaign, which she did not refund to her supporters for at least two years, nor disclosed as required by federal law.

Despite making history as the youngest press secretary, Leavitt continues the trend of mothers serving as the U.S. president’s chief spokesperson, following in the footsteps of Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham, Kayleigh McEnany, Jen Psaki, and Karine Jean-Pierre.

"I wish her the best of luck. This is an amazing opportunity," said Jean-Pierre, Biden's press secretary, during her last briefing. "There’s nothing like it. I hope she enjoys the job." 

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