Coverage spread: 2 sources — 1 left · 1 center
Lean ratings via AllSides / Media Bias-Fact-Check. How this works.
Where they agree
- Both sources confirm Karoline Leavitt is leaving her post as White House press secretary.
- Leavitt is moving to MAGA Inc., Trump’s super PAC, and will continue advising the president.
- The same super PAC, MAGA Inc., is separately reported as a major financial backer of Trump-aligned primary candidates.
Where they differ
- CBS News focuses in depth on the mechanics of Leavitt’s exit and the unresolved search for her successor.
- The Hill’s piece is a broader live-updates roundup, mentioning Trump’s election endorsement wins and a Meta legal settlement without connecting them directly to Leavitt’s departure.
- CBS News names a potential (though unlikely) successor, Scott Jennings, a detail absent from The Hill’s coverage.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s last day on the job is Friday, and President Trump has not yet chosen who will replace her, according to administration officials cited by CBS News. In the meantime, briefings will be handled on a rotating basis by senior administration officials rather than by communications staff.
Who is in charge of finding Leavitt’s replacement?
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has been reviewing candidates, but two sources told CBS News the search has no clear front-runner. Republican commentator Scott Jennings had been mentioned as a possibility, but sources say he is unlikely to get the job. Until a permanent pick is named, top administration officials — not members of the press and communications staff — will rotate through the podium to handle briefings.
What happens to Leavitt’s staff and to Leavitt herself?
Leavitt’s existing team is staying in place and will now report to Communications Director Steven Cheung. Her executive assistant, Kieghan Nangle, is shifting into a new role as a press wrangler. Leavitt herself is heading back to MAGA Inc., Trump’s super PAC, where she will remain a top outside adviser to the president. She has told associates she expects to take on additional, not-yet-announced roles going forward.
Why is Leavitt leaving, and when was it announced?
Trump announced Leavitt’s departure two weeks before her final day, posting on Truth Social that she would stay “an influential voice within the Republican Party” as the White House works to buck historical trends and win the midterm elections. The timeline suggests a planned, amicable transition rather than an abrupt exit, with Leavitt moving to a political rather than government role.
How does this connect to Trump’s broader political push?
The staffing change comes as Trump and his allies are also active in primary contests ahead of the midterms. Separately, The Hill’s live updates noted that Trump notched endorsement wins on a recent Tuesday, with Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and former state Senator Mike Mazzei of Oklahoma winning GOP nomination runoffs. MAGA Inc., the same super PAC Leavitt is returning to, put more than $800,000 behind Graham’s race. Both contests were seen as tests of Trump’s influence over the party’s primary voters. The Hill’s coverage also touched on a separate development the same day: a settlement between Meta and a coalition of 29 states in a lawsuit, though details of that case were not elaborated in the available reporting.
What’s next
No timeline has been given for when Trump will settle on a new press secretary. Until then, briefings will continue to be led by rotating senior officials, and Leavitt’s team will keep functioning under Cheung’s direction while she transitions into her new advisory role with MAGA Inc.
Sources
Featured photo: BruceSchaff via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)