WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — President-elect Donald Trump on Friday named campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary.

Leavitt, 27, currently spokesperson Trump’s transitionHe would become the youngest White House press secretary in history. The title previously belonged to Ronald Ziegler, who was 29 when he took office in Richard Nixon’s administration in 1969.

“Karoline Leavitt did an outstanding job as National Press Secretary in my historic Campaign, and I am pleased to announce that she will serve as White House Press Secretary,” Trump said in a statement. “Karoline has proven to be smart, resilient, and a highly effective communicator. I have the utmost confidence that she will excel on the podium and help deliver our message to the American People as we Make America Great Again.”

Leavitt responded in a post on his former Twitter account,

The White House press secretary often serves as the public face of the administration and has historically provided daily briefings to the press corps.

Trump broke those norms in his first term, choosing to serve as his own chief spokesman. Trump had four press secretaries during his time as president from 2017 to 2021, but he often preferred to communicate directly with the public through his rallies, social media posts and his own briefings.

At a news conference last August, Trump was asked whether he would hold regular press briefings under his new administration. “I will give you full access and you will have multiple press briefings and you will hear from me as well,” he told reporters.

As for a press spokesman, he said: “They’ll probably do something. If it’s not daily, it’s a lot. You will have more than you wanted.”

Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, is seen as a staunch, camera-ready defender of Trump who quickly stands up and aggressively defends the Republican in television interviews.

Before joining Trump’s 2024 campaign, she worked as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., the super PAC supporting Trump. in 2022 He ran for Congress in New Hampshire, He won the 10-way Republican primary before losing to incumbent Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.

Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump’s first term in office. She later became the communications director for New York Republican Representative Elise Stefanik, whom Trump appointed as the US ambassador to the United Nations.

Trump’s first press secretaries, Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, were known for fighting with reporters. Another, Stephanie Grisham, never held a briefing. His successor, Kayleigh McEnany, frequently lectured the news media during speeches in the White House press briefing room.