Overview
- Karoline Leavitt has said she will step down as White House press secretary at the end of August to spend more time with her family and will remain an outside adviser.
- No permanent successor has been named and the West Wing is actively considering multiple candidates, with Scott Jennings repeatedly reported as a leading contender.
- Several outlets reported secret meetings between Jennings and chief of staff Susie Wiles, a claim the White House has formally denied.
- Alina Habba publicly rejected that she is a candidate after briefly leading prediction‑market odds, which have since shifted toward Jennings and other names.
- Reports that President Trump prefers a male replacement but is "not quite sold" on Jennings leave open the possibility of interim rotating briefings or a quieter vetting before a final pick, a decision with direct implications for messaging before the midterms.