A wide-open race for the podium

With White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt set to leave at the end of August, President Donald Trump is weighing a plan that would rely on a rotating cast of Cabinet officials to handle press briefings for an indefinite period, three sources familiar with the planning told CNN.

The tentative arrangement comes as the race to find Leavitt's successor remains open, with Trump still in the earliest stages of deciding who should take one of the most visible jobs in the administration. According to one senior White House official, the president "genuinely doesn't know who to pick and has expressed zero urgency" on the matter.

Trump's indecision has done little to slow the jockeying among allies. Some hopefuls have contacted junior White House staffers to ask for a good word, while others have pressed Trump directly, including advocates for Elizabeth Pipko, a former Republican National Committee spokesperson considered for the role during the presidential transition.

The White House has tested similar rotating briefings before. During Leavitt's maternity leave from April through July, officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance stepped behind the podium.

One source described the difficulty of the job, saying: "It's an insane job. It's a thankless job. And now they'll have to follow and be constantly compared to Karoline."

Trump has said he is in no rush, telling his team he is happy to take his time. The midterms are less than three months away, but officials stressed the process would not be rushed.

Jennings emerges as early favorite

Amid the wide-open field, CNN contributor and longtime GOP strategist Scott Jennings has emerged as an early favorite, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.

Chief of staff Susie Wiles recently met with Jennings at Mastro's Steakhouse in Washington, DC, at the request of the White House, two sources said, and multiple staffers believe he has her backing. One senior White House official said, "He's competent and good on TV." Jennings, a former George W. Bush administration official and longtime adviser to Sen. Mitch McConnell, has declined to say whether he would take the job. Asked by CNN's Abby Phillip if he was interviewing, he replied, "I don't have any comment about that."

However, another White House official pushed back on the idea that Wiles is backing anyone at this point, and one source said Wiles would meet with several other contenders. Some officials have also raised concerns about whether Jennings could handle the closed-door legwork that made Leavitt effective, and a source said he was "not gunning for the job," noting he lives in Kentucky with his four children.

Other names in the mix include White House principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly, former Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin, Alina Habba—who has publicly ruled herself out—and Natalie Harp, whom Trump jokingly said he might tap after media controversy.

Trump's public musings and prediction markets

Mr. Trump has given some public signals. When asked Friday about the list of candidates, he said, "Scott Jennings is good." He also floated longtime communications adviser Margo Martin: "Maybe Margo. What do you think of Margo? Maybe Margo. Let's see."

Prediction-market traders have taken notice. Kalshi gives Jennings roughly a 38-40% chance, with Anna Kelly second at 13-16%, according to data cited by The Gateway Pundit. Polymarket placed Jennings at about 39%.

Trump himself joked about the position, saying "I have never had so many job applications in my life. They all want that job. They love that job." Some observers, including late-night host Jimmy Fallon, have suggested the rotating plan signals the opposite.

Leavitt's next chapter

Leavitt, who at 27 became the youngest White House press secretary in history in January 2025, announced earlier this year that she would leave at the end of August to spend more time with her family.

She shared Friday that she plans to return to MAGA Inc., the pro-Trump super PAC, though she did not say what position she would hold. Trump said he would miss her: "I'm going to miss her," he told reporters before boarding Air Force One, adding that "She's made that job very glamorous."

Leavitt's return to MAGA Inc. mirrors her previous work for the group from 2022 to 2024, before she joined the campaign.

The road ahead

The White House has not confirmed any decision on a successor. Trump traveled from South Carolina for the rally with Sen. Darline Graham during the weekend of August 21, 2026.

As the story develops, the most senior official said the president, "genuinely doesn't know who to pick," and has expressed zero urgency.

A poll cited by The Daily Beast put Trump's approval rating at 33% and found a majority of Americans worried about an endless conflict with Iran, but these numbers did not appear central to the internal discussion about Leavitt's replacement.