Who could replace White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt?The job requires managing a complex relationship with the media – as well Trump's high expectations. 11 hrs agoUS & Canada

The departure of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will create a major opening in President Donald Trump’s administration, and the guessing-game of who will replace her has already begun.

So far, the White House has not announced who will succeed Leavitt, and sources within and close to the administration said no decision has yet been made.

Leavitt has worked closely with Trump for years, and finding someone to take over could prove difficult. In announcing she would step down at the end of the month, Trump called Leavitt one of his “most trusted aides”.

When Leavitt was on leave earlier this year, a series of high-ranking figures, including Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, gave press briefings, instead of a temporary substitute from her office. Some expect the White House to return to that system, at least temporarily.

Perhaps most importantly, Leavitt’s replacement will also be expected to live up to Trump’s expectations.

“It’s not easy,” a source close to the administration told the BBC. “That person will be very aware that he’s watching every day.”

Here’s a look at a few of the potential candidates for the job.

Alina Habba was formerly President Trump’s personal lawyer.

In December, she resigned as the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey, after a court battle over her eligibility to serve as US attorney for the state.

Trump selected Habba for the role of US attorney last year. When a district court rejected her nomination, Trump then installed her in a role allowing her to fill in on an acting basis.

During Trump’s first few months back at the White House, Habba served as the president’s counsellor. In announcing her appointment, Trump described Habba as “unwavering in her loyalty” and a “tireless advocate for justice”.

Habba, 42, first joined Trump’s personal legal team in 2021 after reportedly meeting him at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

She went on to represent Trump in his hush-money trial in New York in 2024, when he was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Trump has filed an appeal against that conviction.

Katie Miller is an influential conservative podcaster, media personality and former Trump staffer.

The 34-year-old is married to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller – the conservative firebrand who set the president’s hard-line immigration agenda in motion.

She served as press secretary to former Vice-President Mike Pence from 2019 to 2020, and then as his communications director from 2020 to 2021.

She was later the communications director for Doge, the cost-cutting initiative headed by billionaire Elon Musk also called the “Department of Government Efficiency”.

Miller’s podcast, launched last August, is targeted toward conservative women and busy mothers.

Anna Kelly is currently White House deputy press secretary and works under Leavitt.

The 29-year-old former beauty queen has represented the White House in the media.

She was previously the national press secretary for the Republican National Committee and worked for Representative Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin.

Sage Steele, a former television anchor and sportscaster, campaigned for Trump during the 2024 election.

The 53-year-old has emerged as a prominent conservative media figure and continued supporter of the president.

She has hosted several sports programs, including SportsCenter, First Take and the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Steven Cheung is the White House’s communications director and a long-time Trump adviser.

The spokesperson has been known for his combative approach with the media and fervent defence of the president.

Cheung joined Trump’s 2016 campaign and later became the director of rapid response during his first term. He left the White House in 2018 and started a private firm that worked with Trump’s 2020 campaign.

Prior to joining Trump’s team, he headed communications for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

After the announcement of Leavitt’s departure, he posted a photo with her and congratulated her on “A job well done!”

He added: “Karoline has been the best teammate. She is fiercely loyal, unflappable, and a great person who serves the President with honor.”

As a former assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, McLaughlin was known for ferociously defending the Trump administration’s immigration policies on US airwaves.

She has maintained a low profile since leaving the role in February, but McLaughlin also has strong bona fides stretching back to the first Trump term, when she served in a variety of roles at the treasury and the State Department.

McLaughlin has been a political contributor for ABC News, and served as communications director for Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and for the short-lived presidential campaign of Vivek Ramaswamy.

Political commentator Scott Jennings has emerged as a fierce defender of the Trump administration on CNN, where he is a senior political contributor, earning him widespread praise from many of the president’s supporters.

Once a critic of Trump, 48-year-old Jennings also has considerable experience in politics, having worked on four presidential campaigns.

He also worked on three of Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell’s campaigns, and is considered a close ally of the former party leader.

Trump has publicly praised Jennings, who last year published the book A Revolution of Common Sense: How Donald Trump Stormed Washington and Fought for Western Civilization.

“He’s defending me all the time on CNN,” Trump said at a rally in Michigan last year. “And he defends me really well, but he can’t go too far because if he goes too far, he’ll get fired.”