Trump Weighs Scott Jennings, Anna Kelly to Replace 28-Year-Old Karoline Leavitt

Q: Who will inherit the White House briefing room as the administration pivots toward non-traditional media outlets?

No one has been formally named to inherit the White House briefing room. The leading public contender is Scott Jennings, who has emerged in multiple reports as an early favorite, but White House officials say the selection is still unresolved and President Donald Trump will make the final decision. Jennings’ name gained traction after reports that Chief of Staff Susie Wiles met with him as part of the search. Supporters see him as a strong on-air communicator, though some inside the administration have noted the job also requires managing the press operation behind the scenes, not just performing at the podium. If the White House opts for continuity, Anna Kelly remains a serious internal possibility. As principal deputy press secretary, she already works inside the current press shop and would offer familiarity with the administration’s briefing strategy as it expands access for newer and nontraditional media outlets. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung is also widely discussed because of his long experience in Trump’s communications orbit and close involvement in the existing operation. Alina Habba had been floated in some speculation, but she has publicly said she is not in the running. Other names have surfaced more broadly, but the clearest field remains Jennings, Kelly and Cheung. For now, the most accurate answer is that Leavitt’s successor has not yet been chosen, with Jennings seen as the early favorite and Kelly and Cheung as prominent alternatives.

3 articles · Updated · KATU · Aug 21

Scott Jennings has emerged as an early favorite to replace Karoline Leavitt, with sources saying Chief of Staff Susie Wiles recently met him at the White House.
Leavitt, 28, is leaving at the end of August to spend more time with her two young children, though Trump says she will stay in his orbit as an outside adviser.
Anna Kelly, the principal deputy press secretary, is also under consideration as an internal continuity pick, while communications director Steven Cheung has been discussed and Alina Habba says she is not in the running.
Whoever gets the job will inherit a briefing room Leavitt reshaped by expanding access for newer media outlets and tightening White House control over the presidential press pool.
Leavitt, who became the youngest White House press secretary at 27 and the first to give birth while in the role, leaves behind a communications operation centered on TV, social media and rapid-response clashes with reporters.