Overview
- Karoline Leavitt has announced she will leave the White House press secretary role and news reports have named Scott Jennings as a top contender to replace her.
- Reporting that identified Jennings as the frontrunner comes from newsroom sourcing and market signals and has not been confirmed by the White House.
- On CNN, anchor Kaitlan Collins pressed Jennings about whether the administration had contacted him about the job and he repeatedly declined to give a clear denial.
- Critics and outlets point to documented episodes in which Jennings aired edited supercuts and faced on-air fact-checks, with one target, Hasan Piker, saying the clips could be defamatory.
- Jennings is a long-time CNN contributor who previously advised Mitch McConnell’s campaigns and served in the George W. Bush White House, and his possible selection would shape how the administration speaks to reporters and the public.