Since White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced she would be leaving the position earlier this month, there has been widespread speculation regarding her replacement. One name that has consistently topped the list—including in online betting circles—has just announced she will not take the job. As speculation continued to swirl over whom President Donald Trump would select to succeed Leavitt, bettors on prediction market platform Kalshi began favoring Alina Habba for the role. Habba, who serves as senior adviser to the attorney general for U.S. attorneys, was previously floated for the position after Trump won re-election. Bettors on Kalshi had assigned Habba a 35% chance of being named Leavitt’s replacement before she publicly dismissed the speculation. Sources familiar with the planning indicate President Trump is weighing a rotating cast of Cabinet officials to handle press briefings for an indefinite period following Leavitt’s departure later this month, as Trump remains in early stages of selecting a new press secretary. Leavitt has stated she plans to vacate her position at the end of August.
