How Karoline Leavitt rose from the ranks of an intern to become Donald Trump’s pick for White House press secretary

Donald Trump, on Friday, picked Karoline Leavitt to serve as the White House press secretary in his next administration. During her time in college, Leavitt had interned at Trump’s White House press office, and Fox News, say reports.

Karoline Leavitt’s initial stints at the White House gave her the “first glimpse into the world of press,” which eventually led her to pursue a career in press relations, reported US magazine Politico. She is only 27-years-old, which makes her the youngest person to hold the high profile position.

Karoline Leavitt’s career

Leavitt began her career in the Trump administration shortly after graduating in 2019, where she initially served as a presidential writer, and later as assistant press secretary.

“I helped prepare Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany for high-pressure briefings and fought against the biased mainstream media,” her 2022 campaign website stated, reported BBC.

After leaving the White House, Leavitt served as the communications director for Elise Stefanik, a senior Republican congresswoman, who has been nominated by President-elect Trump to serve as the United Nations ambassador.

Leavitt left that role to run for Congress, securing the Republican nomination for New Hampshire’s first congressional district in 2022. However, she lost the general election to Democrat Chris Pappas.

Reportedly, Leavitt’s campaign platform aligned closely with many of Trump’s key priorities. On the economy, she pledged to “CUT taxes” and champion pro-growth, free-market policies. She positioned herself as a strong advocate for law enforcement and secure borders, emphasizing “ZERO tolerance for illegal immigration” and committing to the completion of the border wall, mentioned a BBC report.

In January 2024, Leavitt joined Trump’s third presidential campaign as his campaign press secretary.

More about Karoline Leavitt

A native of New Hampshire, the to-be youngest White House press secretary is also a mother. According to a report by The Conservateur, Karoline Leavitt was six months pregnant, when she joined Trump’s presidential campaign in January 2024, and slept only ‘four hours a night’ to garner support for the Republican.

Donald Trump vowed that “Karoline is smart, tough”, and would deliver the GOP(Grand Old Party’s) “message to the American People as we(GOP) Make America Great Again,” reported Reuters.

The White House press secretary serves as the key spokesperson for the administration, providing regular updates to the media and handling questions on behalf of the White House, all while ensuring that sensitive or confidential information is kept secure.