White House Secretary Karoline Leavitt has one of the most important jobs in the Trump administration. In her role as communicator to the public, she acts as a buffer between President Donald Trump’s often incendiary language and the American people seeking answers.
Suggested Reading
While Leavitt follows in the footsteps of notable press secretaries like George Stephanopoulos and Karine Jean-Pierre, the 27-year-old has faced harsh criticism and allegations of lying in order to protect Trump. Still, she made history as the youngest press secretary in history, earning her a spot on this year’s TIME’s 100 list.
Now, we’re diving deep into the making of Leavitt, the first-ever Gen-Z press secretary with strong MAGA ties.
Her Political Start
The New Hampshire native first popped onto the political scene during Trump’s first term. Leavitt worked as an intern for the MAGA president and later became the assistant press secretary, according to TIME.
For a woman in her early twenties, Leavitt’s career in politics started off with a bang, gaining a stamp of approval from Trump. But things took a major turn for Leavitt when the president was ousted in the 2020 election.
A Failed Run for Congress
After Trump’s loss to former President Joe Biden, Leavitt decided to try her own hand at running for office. In 2022, she launched a campaign to represent New Hampshire in Congress. She was beat by Democrat Chris Pappas for the position, although she came close with 46 percent of the vote, according to election results from POLITICO.
Still, it wasn’t a total loss for Leavitt, who was becoming a rising star in the Republican party. The campaign also led her to meet her future husband, Nicholas Riccio, according to PEOPLE.
Personal Life
Just days before Trump’s second inauguration, the 27-year-old married Riccio, who is 32 years her senior. Together they have a one-year-old son. “I mean it’s a very atypical love story, but he’s incredible,” Leavitt said on “The Megyn Kelly Show.”
Leavitt’s Politics
Running as a Gen-Z conservative in 2022 put Leavitt on the map. As one of the youngest folks in the room, Leavitt stood strong as a traditional conservative, despite the progressive nature of her own generation (people born between 1997 and 2012).
She’s perpetuated Trump’s stolen election conspiracy and criticized Biden’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I’m the only candidate in this race to say that President Trump won in 2020, and I will work my hardest every single day to make sure we get to the bottom of it,” Leavitt said during a 2021 interview with OANN.
Leavitt’s also been outspoken against diversity, equity and inclusion all while championing Trump’s promise to Make America Great Again. Expectedly, this caught the eye of the president, who in some ways became her mentor.
Becoming Trump’s Press Secretary
Leavitt was invited to hop back on for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign as a press secretary, but after securing his November victory she was quickly promoted. “Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator,” Trump said while announcing Leavitt as press secretary.
Since January, Leavitt has been accused of lying to the American people to fulfill Trump’s wishes. From accusations she hid Trump’s health diagnosis to Leavitt falsely claiming Trump invented the phrase “peace through strength,” CNN reported, Leavitt has often taken backlash from folks online, who believe the administration is hiding key information from the public.
@mmpadellan on X called her the “most untrustworthy Press Secretary ever” after she falsely claimed in July that Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” Act would completely eliminate tax on tips, tax on overtime and tax on social security. In truth, the GOP-led legislation did nothing of the sort.
Rhonda Elaine Foxx warned that Leavitt “is a dangerous puppet.” She continued saying, “she purely regurgitates fabricated spin and blatant lies. These aren’t press briefings, they’re plays – the White House has become an off-Broadway play.”
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.