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Trump Won’t Name New Press Secretary Until After Election

8/20/2026

50 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

President Donald Trump says there is no urgency to name a new press secretary.
Karoline Leavitt announced she will leave the press secretary post at August’s end.
Trump is weighing a rotating Cabinet cast to handle briefings after Leavitt departs.
Potential successors listed are Scott Jennings, Ari Fleischer, Elizabeth Pipko and Alina Habba.
Insiders say Trump may wait until after the November election for a permanent replacement.

History

Historical Context

In August 1974 President Gerald Ford named veteran journalist Jerald terHorst as his White House Press Secretary, but terHorst resigned after seven days in protest of Ford’s unconditional pardon of Richard Nixon. The brief, conscience-driven exit—still the shortest modern tenure—illustrates how abrupt press-secretary changes, now echoed by Donald Trump’s rotating-secretary idea, can undermine media credibility.

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Story summary

President Donald Trump says there is no urgency to name a new press secretary.
Karoline Leavitt announced she will leave the press secretary post at August’s end.
Trump is weighing a rotating Cabinet cast to handle briefings after Leavitt departs.
Potential successors listed are Scott Jennings, Ari Fleischer, Elizabeth Pipko and Alina Habba.
Insiders say Trump may wait until after the November election for a permanent replacement.

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