MANCHESTER, NH – New Hampshire native Karoline Leavitt becomes the youngest White House press secretary in history after President-elect Donald Trump announced last week that he would appoint 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 executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics Sint-Anselmus CollegeLeavitt’s alma mater. He told WBZ-TV that he worked with her almost every day while she was in college and that they still keep in touch.
“She is probably one of the best students I have ever seen in front of a television camera,” Levesque said. “Not only does she answer questions with razor-sharp answers, but she also has an optimism, a kind of cheerfulness that I think sometimes catches people off guard.”
Who is Karoline Leavitt?
Leavitt was the first Republican ‘Gen Z’ congressional candidate 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 campaign press secretary in 2024.
Trump said in a statement that “Karoline is smart, tough and has proven to be a very 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 conferences during his first term, with the former president preferring to act as his own chief spokesperson. Trump was asked during a campaign briefing this summer whether the press secretary would play a bigger role this time.
“They will probably do something. If it doesn’t happen every day, it’s going to be a lot,” Trump said. “You get more than you want.”
Levesque highlighted the challenges Leavitt will face as he speaks on behalf of the White House.
“It’s clear that the job of White House press secretary is someone who is being watched around the world,” he said. “Statements you make on behalf of the president of the United States have to be perfect.”
Like Trump, Leavitt has repeatedly labeled 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 will probably find her a pleasant person to work with every day,” Levesque said. “She is fearless.”
