Full Breakdown
Trump Appoints Former Beauty Queen as Deputy White House Press Chief
8/13/2026, 10:51:00 PM
Core Appointment and Role
President Donald Trump announced that former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her post at the end of August to focus on family matters. In Leavitt’s stead, Trump named 29-year-old Anna Kelly as the new deputy press chief. Trump praised Leavitt’s “phenomenal job” in a social-media post and earlier described her face and lips as moving “like she’s a machine gun.”
Kelly’s Political and Public-Relations Background
Kelly grew up in Fairfax, Virginia, and began her political career as a teenage intern for a local Virginia Republican committee. She earned a political-science degree from Auburn University and later pursued a master’s in political management at George Washington University. While studying, she became communications director for the Wisconsin branch of the Republican National Committee and, in 2023, served as communications director for Wisconsin Congressman Derrick Van Orden, defending him during a Capitol-yard scandal. Kelly also joined Van Orden at a summit with President Xi Jinping in China earlier this year. Outside politics, she won the 2018 Miss State Fair contest in Virginia and has posted singing performances from beauty-pageant competitions.
Official Reactions and Statements
Leavitt posted on X that, after returning to the White House following the birth of her daughter, she could not be the mother her two young children deserve while fulfilling the press-secretary role. In a recent interview on *The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show*, Kelly described her White House position as “so exciting” and said the team is “winning every single day.” An administration official acknowledged Kelly’s television presence but cautioned that she may not fully replace Leavitt’s experience.
Criticism and Opposition
The same official noted that while Kelly is “good on TV,” she may not completely fill Leavitt’s shoes. Other potential candidates mentioned for the deputy role include former Trump attorney Alina Habba, White House communications director Steven Cheung, and political strategist Scott Jennings.
