President Donald Trump said Sunday that he may have developed a favorite to become his next White House press secretary, although he stopped short of naming the person.
Speaking with reporters before leaving Ireland, Trump said the administration has received significant interest in the high-profile position left vacant by Karoline Leavitt’s departure last month.
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“We have a lot of people that want it,” Trump said. “Many people want it. Many people have been written about, as you know.”
Asked whether he had a favorite, Trump initially said no before adding, “I may have developed one over the weekend.”
Trump did not identify the person or give a timetable for making a permanent selection.
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Instead, he said the White House would continue temporarily using senior administration officials and Cabinet secretaries to conduct press briefings.
“We’re going to use the secretaries,” Trump said, pointing to recent appearances by Vice President JD Vance and suggesting Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Education Secretary Linda McMahon could also take turns behind the podium.
“Ultimately I’ll pick somebody,” Trump said.
The unusual arrangement has allowed Cabinet officials to speak directly to reporters about their policy areas while Trump considers a permanent replacement.
.@POTUS on his next Press Secretary: “I may have developed one over the weekend. We have a lot of people who want it.” 👀 pic.twitter.com/tje9tD6QYC
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 13, 2026
Vance recently conducted a White House briefing focused on immigration enforcement, commercial-driver-license fraud and the federal response to the 2023 East Palestine train derailment.
Rubio has also appeared at the podium during Trump’s second term, and the president said Sunday that the secretary of state could be among the next officials to handle a briefing.
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Several names have circulated publicly as possible candidates for the permanent job.
CNN commentator Scott Jennings has received significant attention, and Trump previously praised him when reporters asked about possible Leavitt replacements.
“Scott Jennings is good,” Trump said in August.
Other reported possibilities have included former acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly, Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley and Breitbart Washington bureau chief Matthew Boyle.
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The White House has not confirmed an official short list, and administration officials previously said the selection process remained open.
Leavitt left the White House at the end of August after saying she wanted to spend more time with her family following the birth of her second child.
At 27 when Trump returned to office in January 2025, she became the youngest White House press secretary in U.S. history.
Trump announced her departure Aug. 12 and said she would remain one of his top outside advisers while becoming an influential voice in Republican politics ahead of the midterm elections.
Leavitt subsequently returned to MAGA Inc., the Trump-aligned super PAC where she worked before joining Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
Leavitt also made a high-profile return to the national political stage Thursday night, addressing Republicans at the party’s midterm convention in Dallas less than two weeks after leaving the Trump administration.
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She appeared during prime-time programming on the second and final night of the Republican gathering, delivering a speech focused heavily on President Donald Trump’s record and urging supporters to turn out in the November elections.
Her departure left one of the White House’s most visible communications jobs open at an especially important political moment.
The press secretary serves as the administration’s primary spokesperson to the White House press corps and typically conducts regular televised briefings while coordinating closely with the president and senior staff.
Trump has emphasized that plenty of people are interested in taking on that role.
The only new clue he offered Sunday was that, after weeks of considering candidates, he may now have someone in mind.
For the moment, however, the rotating briefing arrangement will continue until Trump announces a permanent successor.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
