Alina Habba, widely seen as a frontrunner to become the next White House press secretary, has publicly ruled herself out of contention for the role. The announcement follows Karoline Leavitt's confirmation that she will step down from the podium at the end of August after returning from maternity leave, choosing to focus on raising her two young children, which has triggered a search for her successor.

Leavitt, 28, has served as White House press secretary and became a high-profile figure in the role before announcing her departure earlier this month. Habba, who had been named among the betting favourites to take over, used a statement on Wednesday to close down the speculation surrounding her candidacy, though the article does not specify who else remains under consideration as the administration continues its search.