WATCH: President Trump Floats Names for Karoline Leavitt’s Replacement

The search to replace Leavitt is ongoing and remains an “open book,” a senior administration official told The Post this week.

Trump mused about possible candidates after lamenting the exit of his longtime press aide.

“Scott Jennings is good,” he said when asked about reports the conservative CNN commentator is in the running for job.

Then he joked he may give the position to his longtime aide Margo Martin, who’s known for posting behind-the-scenes videos of work at the White House.

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LMAO! President Trump floats some possible names for Karoline Leavitt's replacement

"Maybe you.. Scott Jennings is good.. maybe Margo! What do you think of Margo?!" @MargoMartin47

"I have NEVER had so many job applications in my life. They ALL want that job. They love… pic.twitter.com/LjQdB3tTrg

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 21, 2026

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This is Karoline Leavitt’s last trip as @PressSec
⁰She will travel with the President to the convention but as a part of MAGA, Inc., Trump's super PAC. ⁰⁰She came back and spoke with us in the press cabin just after takeoff from DC to Myrtle Beach. ⁰⁰I asked her how she was… pic.twitter.com/3O1Q80h9h8

— Kellie Meyer (@KellieMeyerNews) August 21, 2026

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This is Karoline Leavitt’s last trip as @PressSec

She will travel with the President to the convention but as a part of MAGA, Inc., Trump’s super PAC. 

She came back and spoke with us in the press cabin just after takeoff from DC to Myrtle Beach. 

I asked her how she was feeling about leaving. She said it is hard. She will miss the job “but I love my kids even more.”

H/T @JenniferJJacobs
for quotes.

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CNN contributor Scott Jennings has emerged as an early favorite, multiple sources familiar with the process told CNN. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles recently met with Jennings at the request of the White House, though sources cautioned that the selection process remains far from complete.

Jennings, a veteran Republican political strategist and former adviser to Sen. Mitch McConnell, has become a prominent conservative voice on CNN, where his exchanges with other panelists frequently gain attention online.

Another potential choice is Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly, who already works inside the White House press operation and would offer the administration a more straightforward transition.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung has also been discussed as a possibility. Cheung has worked closely with Trump for years and is one of the administration’s most prominent communications officials, though becoming press secretary would put him in a far more regular public-facing role.

Former Trump attorney Alina Habba had also generated speculation as a potential contender, but she pushed back on those reports this week, saying she is “not in the running for any job.”

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