Karoline Leavitt, President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming White House press secretary, has a controversial social media past. Two of her deleted tweets were shared after the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol, one praising then-Vice President Mike Pence for certifying the 2020 election, and the other calling Capitol Hill police officer Eugene Goodman a hero.
The posts were made when Leavitt was 23 years old and had just started working for New York Rep. Elise Stefanik. She later ran unsuccessfully for a New Hampshire congressional seat in 2022, positioning herself as an election denier. She claimed during an interview with OANN that President Trump won in 2020 and repeated false claims about voter fraud.
Leavitt will be the youngest person to hold the position of White House press secretary at 27. Following her campaign loss, she joined Trump’s PAC and worked for the Trump campaign, becoming the national press secretary.
Leavitt’s past statements and actions will likely draw scrutiny over how she balances messaging on behalf of Trump with maintaining credibility in the press briefing room. Trump praised her appointment, calling her “smart,” “tough,” and “effective,” and saying she will champion his policies and agenda.
