Trump declines to name replacements for outgoing press secretary Karoline Leavitt, after reporting she left the role

President Donald Trump on Friday fielded questions about staffing plans for the White House communications shop after Karoline Leavitt decided to leave her role as White House press secretary, an opening that prompted reporters to ask who might fill the position next. The president was asked about potential nominees while at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

Trump did not name specific candidates during the exchange, but said he has not seen “so many job applications” in his life, according to The Hill’s account of the remarks. The president’s comment was framed as a response to a question about who he was considering to replace Leavitt.

When asked whether Scott Jennings, a commentator known for his appearances on television and radio, might be among the contenders, Trump responded that Jennings “is good,” The Hill reported. Trump, however, did not say Jennings had been selected or that any offer had been made.

The exchange took place after Leavitt’s departure created a vacancy in the White House press secretary position. Leavitt’s decision to leave the post was reported by The Hill earlier in the day, noting that Trump was facing the prospect of reshaping the communications line before the next routine briefing cycle.

Beyond the remarks at Joint Base Andrews, The Hill did not report an official timeline or process for choosing a successor, and it did not provide details on any formal offer, start date, or interim staffing arrangement. The president’s response similarly did not include a specific timetable for announcing a replacement.

White House press secretaries typically oversee daily briefings and serve as the administration’s primary spokesperson to reporters, roles that can affect how quickly new policy messages are issued and how questions are handled across agencies. In the absence of a named successor, the practical impact of the vacancy depends on what acting structure, if any, is put in place by the White House communications team.

The next confirmed step, according to what was reported, would be a White House announcement identifying who will assume the press secretary role, if and when a final decision is made. Until that occurs, the staffing gap remains centered on the administration’s communications operations and its day-to-day interactions with the press corps.