President-elect Donald Trump is swiftly unveiling his Cabinet just a week after his significant victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, with anticipation building around who he will select to lead his White House communications team.
Karoline Leavitt, who served as the Trump campaign’s national press secretary throughout the high-stakes election cycle, is currently the frontrunner for press secretary. Alina Habba, Trump’s legal spokeswoman and adviser, was also considered for the role but clarified on Thursday that she would “be better served in other capacities.” “While I am flattered by the support and speculation, the role of Press Secretary is not a role I am considering. Although I love screaming from a podium, I will be better served in other capacities. This administration is going to be epic! So proud of the Trump team, the latest appointments, and 47!” she posted to X on Thursday morning.
Speculation has also focused on several other potential candidates, including former President George W. Bush aide and CNN contributor Scott Jennings, longtime Trump adviser Jason Miller, and campaign spokesman and adviser Steven Cheung. Other names being floated as contenders include former ESPN host Sage Steele, RNC spokeswoman Elizabeth Pipko, and former Trump administration official Monica Crowley.
In Trump’s first administration, the communications team experienced a series of press secretaries and communications directors. Back in 2016, Trump appointed Sean Spicer as his first press secretary, serving from Jan. 20, 2017, until his resignation in July following the appointment of Anthony Scaramucci as communications director. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, now governor of Arkansas, succeeded Spicer, serving from July 2017 to July 2019.
Scaramucci’s tenure as communications director was brief—about 10 days—before his departure. He has since become one of Trump’s most vocal critics. Spicer also held the role of acting communications director during Trump’s first term, succeeded by Scaramucci, Hope Hicks, Bill Shine, and finally Stephanie Grisham. In terms of press secretaries, Grisham followed Sanders and served during the early pandemic period before Kayleigh McEnany took over, staying until President Biden’s inauguration in 2021.
Trump’s second administration is coming together at a much faster pace than his 2016 transition. As of Thursday, Trump has announced 20 key appointments to his Cabinet and administration. “The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail — and his Cabinet picks reflect his priority to put America First. President Trump will continue to appoint highly qualified men and women who have the talent, experience and necessary skill sets to Make America Great Again,” Leavitt told Fox News Digital regarding Trump’s rapid rollout of Cabinet picks.
For instance, Trump appointed Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., as his national security adviser, announcing the decision on Tuesday, which was three days ahead of his announcement in 2016 when he chose former Army Gen. Mike Flynn. Trump has also tapped former New York Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, a choice he made much earlier this time compared to 2016, when he named Scott Pruitt on Dec. 7.
Trump’s first appointment for this administration, Susie Wiles as chief of staff, came the day after the election, a quicker timeline than his 2016 announcement of Reince Priebus five days post-election.
Trump has also made one communications team appointment so far, announcing on Wednesday that Taylor Budowich will serve as an assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel. Back in 2016, Trump didn’t announce his first press secretary until Dec. 22, but this year’s choice is expected to be revealed much sooner, keeping with the accelerated pace of his other announcements.
