Karoline Leavitt Makes Subtle Jab at White House Press Sec. Successor Katie Zacharia After Her Sudden Firing — 'The Job Obviously Wasn't for Her'
Karoline Leavitt has opened up about her successor Katie Zacharia's sacking.
Oct. 23 2026, Published 11:24 a.m. ET
Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has given her thoughts on the sacking of successor Katie Zacharia just days into her new role, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Leavitt, who quit her position in August, summed up Zacharia's disastrous stint by saying, "the job obviously wasn't for her."
'It's One of the Hardest Jobs in Politics'
Leavitt talked up the toughness of her old job.
Zacharia's five-day stint made her the shortest-serving White House press secretary in U.S. history.
Leavitt, by contrast, was in the job for nearly two years before stepping down to spend more time with her family.
Speaking about her former role, she did have some sympathy for Zacharia, 42, by expressing how difficult the job of being White House press secretary actually is.
"White House press secretary is a tough job," she said. "I know that because I did it, obviously for almost two years, and many people say it's one of the hardest jobs in politics."
Helping Donald Trump Find Replacement
Leavitt is helping Donald Trump find a successor for Zacharia.
Leavitt noted that the job "takes a lot of preparation and sometimes you don't know how someone will perform until they go out there."
Following the departure of Zacharia, whom Leavitt "wished all the best", the 29-year-old will be involved in the process of finding a new successor in the role.
She explained, "I've offered my help to the president to help him select someone who can serve him and the country well."
When it comes to whom Trump will choose next for the position, Leavitt told Fox News the president "is continuing to look over options."
"There's a lot of people who want that job. It's an amazing job. It provides you with incredible opportunities."
Trump 'Needs Someone Who Is Smart, Tough and Loyal'
Leavitt has outlined what Trump should be looking for.
Asked what advice she's offered to Trump, Leavitt said: "I'll keep my private counsel to the president private, but I do obviously talk to him about what the job entails, and he knows it very well."
"Nobody understands the press better than Donald Trump. He knows he needs someone who is tough, who is smart, who understands his policies, who is loyal, and who can go out there and put up a fight," she added.
Leavitt also ran for Congress in 2022, winning a heavily contested GOP nomination in New Hampshire's 1st District before losing the general election to incumbent Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.
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Leavitt is joining Fox News as a contributor next month.
When she was questioned on if she might make another run for public office in her home state when Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan is up for re-election in 2028, Leavitt quickly said, "No, I'm all set."
"I don't have any plans to run for office in the near future at all, or in the future at all," she continued. "I am home with my family, and we're really excited about that. Right now, I'm really focused on being a wife and a mother to my two very young children. That's why I made the decision to leave Washington. So we're just happy to be home and enjoying the ride."
Leavitt officially becomes a Fox News contributor next month.
