WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says he's had an explosion of applications for departing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's job.
He suggested he still hasn't made a decision, with just days to go until Leavitt formally exits the role.
"I have never had so many job applications in my life," Trump told reporters Aug. 21 "They all want that job. They love that job."
Leavitt nodded in agreement. "You have a lot of options," she affirmed.
The youngest press secretary in White House history, Leavitt, 28, has held the title since the start of Trump's second term. She previously served as a spokeswoman for Trump's 2024 presidential bid and worked as a press aide at the White House during his first term.
"She's made that job very glamorous,"
Trump said of Leavitt as she stood by his side Aug. 21 on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews.
Speculation has abounded on who Trump could pick to be the next White House spokespersonsince he announced Aug. 12 that Leavitt, who recently gave birth to her second child, would be exiting the role at end of the month. The list ranges from conservative reporters and Republican strategists to current and former Trump administration officials.
Ahead of his trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Trump teased with reporters. "Maybe you, maybe you," he said to several.
Asked about CNN commentator Scott Jennings, who's known for vocal defenses of Trump's agenda, the president replied, "Scott Jennings is good."
Trump also suggested he's considering communications adviser Margo Martin, a longtime aide who has worked in his press operation since his first administration.
"Maybe Margo? What do you think of Margo?" Trump asked reporters.
Whoever replaces Leavitt could be in for a bumpy ride. Trump is a voracious consumer of media and pushes out commentary on his social media platform in real-time. Unlike some of her predecessors, Leavitt was rarely caught off guard in public. She commanded the podium forcefully and was careful not to contradict Trump.
"I'm going to miss her," Trump said. "Karoline, I gotta stand next to her, I feel so good with her," he added.
Leavitt is expected to remain one of Trump's top outside advisers. She told reporters traveling with Trump to South Carolina that she would be back in September for the midterm convention that Republicans are planning in Texas.
After taking some time off to spend with her family, Leavitt said she would return to MAGA Inc., a Trump-aligned super PAC where she worked as a spokeswoman while the president was not in office.
Trump later brought Leavitt on stage during his rally in Myrtle Beach to support South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham.
“It has been the honor of my life to serve as your White House press secretary sir, it really has,” Leavitt said.
Contributing: Joey Garrison
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'They all want that job': Trump teases Karoline Leavitt replacement
