White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is stepping down, prompting speculation in Washington about who will replace her at the podium. Donald Trump announced her departure on social media, saying he had spoken to her about the decision, but he did not name a successor, suggesting no immediate replacement had been settled on. The news reportedly came as a surprise, though sources close to the White House said "change was in the air" in the preceding weeks.

Names being floated include longtime Trump adviser Jason Miller, who returned to the White House in July and could take charge of press operations; principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly, seen as next in line internally; and former Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Katie Zacharia, said to be a favourite of Trump's. CNN commentator Scott Jennings has also been mentioned, compared by one source to former Bush press secretary Tony Snow, while housing official Bill Pulte was raised as a more unconventional option. Former DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin was reportedly ruled out as she is five months pregnant, and cabinet figures including JD Vance, Marco Rubio and Scott Bessent were noted as having performed well at the podium in Leavitt's absence.