Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said she is assisting President Donald Trump in selecting a new press secretary following the abrupt end of Katie Zacharia’s five-day tenure in the role.
Leavitt made the remarks during a Fox News Digital interview at a Turning Point USA event at California Polytechnic State University on Wednesday. She stated that Zacharia’s brief stint was not a good fit but wished her and her family well. Leavitt, who previously served as Trump’s press secretary from the start of his second term until August 27, 2025, also discussed her own preparation for the role when she first took over.
Leavitt’s comments follow Zacharia’s rapid exit from the position. Trump announced Zacharia’s appointment on October 9, 2025, after first contacting her about the role on October 7. She delivered her first White House briefing on October 13, which lasted 14 minutes and included questions from only three reporters. Trump subsequently praised her performance, stating: “I thought she did excellent. She did well.”
Leavitt emphasized the challenges of the role, noting that it requires extensive preparation and that performance can only be assessed once someone is in the position. “White House press secretary is a tough job. I know that because I did it for almost two years,” she said. “It takes a lot of preparation, and sometimes you don’t know how someone will perform until they go out there.”
Leavitt added that Trump is continuing to review options for the position and that many individuals have expressed interest in the role. She confirmed that she has offered her expertise to help identify a suitable successor.
Zacharia’s tenure marked the shortest in U.S. history, surpassing the previous record held by Sean Spicer, who served six days in the role during Trump’s first term. Leavitt’s own tenure lasted nearly two years before she stepped down to spend more time with her family, including a daughter born in May 2025.
Trump announced Leavitt’s appointment as press secretary on November 15, 2024, while he was still president-elect. She delivered her first White House briefing on January 28, 2025, more than two months after her appointment.
Leavitt described her preparation for her first briefing as intensive, stating: “I prepared like heck for that first briefing. I poured myself into my preparation. I read, I studied, I talked to every Cabinet member, I talked to the president. I just absorbed as much information as this noggin up here could.”