Karoline Leavitt is "uniquely qualified" to be Trump's press secretary, her NH college mentor says
MANCHESTER, N.H. - New Hampshire native Karoline Leavitt is set to become the youngest White House press secretary in history after President-elect Donald Trump announced last week that he would name her to the position. It's a job that her former college mentor says the 27-year-old is "uniquely qualified for."
Neil Levesque is the executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, which is Leavitt's alma mater. He told WBZ-TV that he worked with her on an almost daily basis while she was a student and they still keep in touch.
"She's probably one of the best students I've ever seen in front of a television camera," Levesque said. "She answers questions with not only just razor-sharp answers, but also she has an optimism, a sort of cheerfulness to her that I think sometimes catches people off guard."
Who is Karoline Leavitt?
Leavitt was the first Republican "Gen Z" congressional nominee in 2022, but lost in the general election. She worked in the White House Press Office during Trump's first term and then served as his 2024 campaign press secretary.
Trump said in a statement that "Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator."
"Thank you, President Trump, for believing in me. I am humbled and honored," Leavitt wrote in a social media post.
Trump's White House press secretary
The Trump White House did not always have regular press briefings during his first term, with the former president preferring to serve as his own chief spokesperson. Trump was asked at a campaign briefing this summer if the press secretary would have a bigger role this time around.
"Probably they'll do something. If it's not daily, it's going to be a lot," Trump said. "You'll have more than you want."
Levesque highlighted the challenges Leavitt will face when speaking for the White House.
"Obviously the job of being White House press secretary is someone who's being watched around the world," he said. "Statements that you have to make on behalf of the president of the United States have to be perfect."
Like Trump, Leavitt has repeatedly blasted the mainstream media as "fake news." But Levesque said he expects her to get along well with reporters covering the White House.
"The press corps is probably going to find her an enjoyable person to work with every day," Levesque said. "She is fearless."