Karoline Claire Leavitt is an American political spokesperson and a member of the Republican Party. She served as the 36th White House press secretary from January 2025 to August 2026.

Leavitt studied politics and communication at Saint Anselm College, graduating in 2019. She worked in the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence and became an assistant White House press secretary in 2020. After Donald Trump left office, she was communications director for Representative Elise Stefanik.

In 2022, Leavitt was the Republican nominee for New Hampshire’s 1st congressional district but lost to Democratic incumbent Chris Pappas. She later served as a spokeswoman for Trump’s political action committee MAGA Inc. and as press secretary for his 2024 presidential campaign.

As press secretary, Leavitt took a combative stance toward some journalists and defended the inclusion of new media outlets in White House briefings. She was named in a lawsuit concerning White House media access.