What Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s new press secretary, can learn from her many predecessors
Karoline Levitt made history in his position with the President-elect Donald Trumpgovernment, recently announced her appointment solidified his position as the youngest White House press secretary in history at age 27. But if Trump’s second term is anything like his first, full of inter-office maneuvering and resulting feuds to professional vacancies, she may also become the youngest person ever to hold this position. leave position—though whether that be by way of firing or resignation, only time will tell. Sarah Huckabee Sanders had the longest time behind the podium during Trump’s first term, logging 1 year and 11 months on the job; The next longest term is Kayleigh McEnanywho hits? Stephanie Grishamonly staying a few days, each day lasting just over nine months.
“Let’s MAGA!” Leavitt tweeted cheerfully when she won the job. Leavitt is no stranger to Trump, having served as assistant press secretary under Trump. McEnany during his first foray into the White House, as well as as his spokeswoman during the 2024 presidential campaign, cutting short her maternity leave to anchor the nation’s first cable news She debuted just four days after she gave birth in early July, returning to activities after first assassination attempt by Trump.
However, no matter how much adjacent experience one has, owning the podium in the press room can be different. Here’s what Leavitt was able to learn as a press secretary, according to those who came before her.
Father knows best.
Trump often plays the role of father figure to his female spokesmen, even though the love seems to be conditional. Have Hope Hicksa former model who parlayed her experience as press secretary during Trump’s 2016 campaign—her first political job—into a “strategic communications” job at the White House and then moved on to served as interim communications director afterward. Anthony Scaramucci was fired after 10 days (11, if you ask him) in this role. Hicks was also 27 years old when he became a citizen of Trump World and president nicknamed her “Hopie” and “Hopester.” Trump told her instead of asking her to take on campaign work, as her mother, Caye Cavender Hicks, told New York Times in 2016. Obedience and loyalty served her well, as Hicks commanded the maximum White House salary of $179,700, the same as Trump’s senior adviser. Steve Bannon. One-time Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort told time of Hicks, “Her most important role is her relationship with the candidate.”
Another former Trump press secretary, Sanders, now the governor of Arkansas, knew how to take advantage of Trump’s idea of him considering himself a father and use it to spread the news. For example, when Trump the elder was spotted reading a statement from his son Donald Trump Jr. regarding a meeting at Trump Tower in 2016 between Junior and several Russians about opposing intelligence, Sanders he said in 2017 that “the president weighed in like any father would, based on the limited information he had.”
Invest in fire-resistant pants.
Trump famously demands loyalty from his employees, even if it means repeating “lies” on his behalf. There was McEnany, now a Fox News host, who pledged that she would always tell the truth from behind that podium. During her first press conference at the White House, she then continued to mischaracterize the claims, distort inflation numbers, and blatantly lie throughout the meeting, including claiming that the Report Mueller resulted in “a complete and total exoneration of President Trump.” The report itself states, “although this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.” As a mere assistant, McEnany also claimed that under Trump“We won’t see diseases like the coronavirus coming here, we won’t see terrorism.” She said this more than a month after the first COVID-19 case was reported in the US. Her prediction of a terrorism-free future also proved wrong: Although Trump liked to claim on the campaign trail, there were no terrorist attacks during the campaign. . his presidency, multiple jihadist attacks in New York City, the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, and several other deadly events was so identified by his administration.
Sean SpicerTrump’s first White House press secretary, also began his term with a silly statement, false statement that Trump’s modest Inauguration crowd “was the largest audience ever to witness an inauguration. Both directly and globally.” He “supported” that claim with some verifiable false “evidence,” claiming that the images shared by the media were “deliberately framed” to make Trump’s crowd look small, that the floor coverings on the lawn at the National Mall distorted perceptions (they were also used at President Barack Obamainauguration ceremony with larger crowd in attendance), etc. (He said that he regretted criticizing the press that day, he ended the meeting without asking any questions.)
