New York Post reports internal push to block CNN commentator Scott Jennings from White House press secretary role

President Donald Trump’s next White House press secretary is emerging as a Washington topic after a New York Post report said some of the president’s closest allies are working to derail CNN political commentator Scott Jennings from what the outlet described as a leading replacement track for outgoing press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

In the New York Post’s account, Jennings has become “Washington’s most talked-about contender” to replace Leavitt, but the outlet reported that figures described as part of the president’s “MAGA-world” are trying to stop him. The report attributes the pushback to Jennings’s “longstanding ties” to Sen. Mitch McConnell.

The New York Post did not describe an official personnel decision in the report, nor did it cite a White House announcement, swearing-in timeline, or any Federal Register action tied to the role. Instead, the article framed the development as internal lobbying and political maneuvering around who would be selected for the communications job.

The reported dispute centers on a perceived alignment question, with the New York Post describing the Jennings-vs.-Leavitt transition as contested among the president’s allies. The outlet’s reporting also indicates that the block Jennings effort is not merely theoretical, including anonymous sourcing described as “one person close to…” the president’s orbit saying, “It’s not going to be him.”

No official confirmation of a replacement timeline or the identity of the next press secretary was included in the New York Post material provided for this write-up. Under federal government practice, senior communications roles within the White House typically become clear only after an official appointment or public announcement, and those steps would be expected to come from the White House itself.

If the White House ultimately selects a press secretary other than Jennings, the practical effect would be in the daily operations of the administration’s press briefings and message discipline, since the press secretary is the central point for questions and public communications on policy and events. The reported disagreement also underscores how personnel choices inside the communications apparatus can reflect broader coalition-management within the president’s political base.

As of the publication date of the New York Post report, the only confirmed record in the provided materials is that the outlet described Jennings as a top contender and attributed opposition to him among some of the president’s allies. Any further developments would require official confirmation from White House personnel communications or other primary records.