Potential successors to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt

President Donald Trump said Karoline Leavitt will leave her post as White House press secretary at the end of the month, creating a vacancy in the administration. No successor has been announced, and sources close to the White House say a decision has not been made.

Leavitt, described by Trump as one of his "most trusted aides," has worked closely with the president for years. When she was on leave earlier this year, senior officials such as Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio conducted briefings, prompting speculation that the White House may revert to that interim arrangement.

The press secretary’s duties extend beyond delivering briefings to include managing the administration’s relationship with the media, coordinating with other White House offices, and overseeing a large volume of inquiries. > "It's not easy," a source told the BBC. "That person will be very aware that he's watching every day."

Potential candidates mentioned in reports include former Trump adviser Habba, who served as a U.S. attorney in New Jersey, as the president’s counselor, and previously as press secretary to former Vice-President Mike Pence; former rapid-response director Cheung, who worked on Trump’s 2016 campaign and later ran a private firm; and former DHS assistant secretary for public affairs McLaughlin, known for defending the administration’s immigration policies. Each has a history of close work with Trump and a reputation for staunch loyalty.

Trump has publicly praised several of these figures in the past, noting their loyalty and advocacy for his agenda.