President Donald Trump has left the press secretary position vacant after firing Katie Zacharia.
Trump, 80, has had substantial turnover in his administration. Numerous female staffers and Cabinet members did not make it to year three of his second presidency.
He returned to the White House in January 2025 with Karoline Leavitt, selected as his campaign spokesperson.
At 27, she became the youngest White House press secretary in American history. She lasted 19 months longer than her blond replacement.
Leavitt, who’s now 29, took maternity leave in April and stepped down in August to spend more time with her family.
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Trump then tapped Katie Zacharia to be his new press secretary. But he fired her after just five days following a disastrous first White House briefing and controversy over her alleged law degree.
Leavitt may not be a federal employee anymore, but the mother of two young children still serves as an external mouthpiece for the Trump administration.
During a Fox News interview, she was asked to weigh in on Zacharia’s abrupt exit.
Leavitt admitted it’s a “tough job,” one of the hardest jobs in politics, before dropping a shady remark.
“As the president said, we wish Katie the best. The job obviously was not for her, but we wish her and her family well,” said Leavitt.
According to her, the job “takes a lot of preparation.” It also takes understanding that “sometimes you don’t know how someone will perform until they go out there.”
She confirmed she advised Trump as he searched for “someone who helps serve him and this country.”
The former campaign spokeswoman held back from revealing exactly what she told Trump. But she did note her replacement had to be “smart, loyal, tough, and willing to put up a fight.”
“I’ll keep my private counsel to the president private,” Leavitt stated.
She is now a political commentator on Fox News and recently sat down with Turning Point USA for an interview.
The Charlie Kirk-founded organization provided a welcoming atmosphere for Leavitt. While on stage, she took a moment to reflect on her own White House exit.
“I loved my job, and I love the president, and I believe so much in what they are doing,” Leavitt admitted at TPUSA Faith’s Make Heaven Crowded Tour stop on Oct. 21.
She continued, “But God blessed me with two beautiful young children in the midst of this very high-pressure, 24-7, all-consuming role. And it was very difficult to try to balance.”
Leavitt admitted to having “sleepless nights” while she was trying to decide whether to leave Trump’s staff.
She said prayer and talks with her 61-year-old husband and mother ultimately influenced her decision to depart the administration.
Leavitt opening up about her time serving under Trump did not garner a ton of sympathy from detractors of the Republican-led Executive Branch.
Her glowing praise for the president ignited claims that Gen Z’s appointment as a master fabricator became her only accomplishment.
“You think working for Trump did you any favors? You are indelibly stained for life,” read another critical tweet about the MAGA sycophant.
Noting Leavitt’s shady remark toward Katie, one person said, “She didn’t lie well enough in other words.”
Another said, “The perfect candidate does not exist. And that can lie through her teeth effortlessly, as Karoline did.”
“He needs someone who’s willing to make him look good, lie about his shortcomings and retain self-respect,” a fourth person wrote.
Leavitt also received a scathing performance review when someone on the app declared, “You were one of the worst at that job, in all of American history.”
Former press secretaries Karoline Leavitt and Katie Zacharia joined a growing list of high-ranking women who have left the Trump administration during his second term.
Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and former Attorney General Pam Bondi were fired.
Recently, former U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle was asked to step down.
NOW on @FoxNews – Former WH Press Secy. @karolineleavitt weighs in on her successor’s rapid White House exit, says the job "was not for her." Leavitt tells me she’s giving advice to @realDonaldTrump as he looks for another replacement – "he needs someone who is tough" https://t.co/V6LXnSvSBx
— Paul Steinhauser (@steinhauserNH1) October 22, 2026
