Trump's fiercest defender? Five moments defining Karoline Leavitt's time as press secretary
Few figures in the Trump administration have been as visible — or loyal — as Karoline Leavitt.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, is departing after 20 months of unwavering loyalty to President Donald Trump and frequent confrontations with the media. As the youngest person ever to hold the role, Leavitt gained recognition for her staunch defense of the president and her embrace of new media voices such as podcasters and influencers.
Trump announced her departure at the end of the month, stating she would continue as one of his top outside advisors and an influential figure within the Republican Party. Leavitt and her communications director, Steven Cheung, brought changes to the administration's traditionally confrontational media strategy. They introduced a new media seat in the briefing room and aimed to give more prominence to independent journalists, podcasters, and influencers.
The administration's refusal to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, a move criticized by the Associated Press, also marked a significant aspect of Leavitt's tenure. Despite the controversy surrounding Trump's handling of the Iran war and the Jeffrey Epstein files, Leavitt remained one of the administration's most vocal defenders of the president's actions.
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