The White House is reportedly weighing having cabinet members lead White House press briefings after Karoline Leavitt departs her post as press secretary.
Semafor White House correspondent Shelby Talcott reported in the outlet’s newsletter Monday that the White House is considering the move.
“It’s a temporary practice that satisfied Trump during the period that Leavitt was off for maternity leave, and a White House official told Semafor that it’s once again under discussion until a new permanent press secretary is named,” Talcott wrote.
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During Leavitt’s maternity leave, the White House did not name an official interim secretary to fill the void. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz all took the podium for briefings.
It is likely that some of these officials, or others who have the chops to command the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, will take the podium if the White House decides to once again employ the strategy it used while Leavitt was out.
In many ways, the White House faces less pressure than previous administrations to find its next press secretary because of how frequently Trump engages with reporters. The president often takes questions multiple times a week.
President Donald J. Trump speaks with members of the media alongside Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, before a Senate Steering Committee luncheon meeting with GOP leadership. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)
In 2025 alone, Trump participated in nearly 500 transcribed events and engaged with the media at three-quarters of them, as Breitbart News exclusively reported in January.
For example, he took questions from reporters at 134 press sprays, all 15 general rallies, and 14 press conferences. He also took questions at 31 Marine One gaggles, 41 gaggles aboard Air Force One, and 28 gaggles outside of Air Force One. In many ways, he already is his own top spokesperson.
Trump recently told Fox News’s Alexis McAdams that Leavitt is irreplaceable.
When asked if Leavitt was replaceable, Trump replied, “No, she’s not. She really isn’t. She’s standing right over there, and she’s done a great job.”
“I found out she likes her children more than she likes Trump. I’m very concerned about that,” he jokingly added.
