Alina Habba Rules Out Becoming President Trump’s Next Press Secretary
Alina Habba has shut down speculation that she could become President Donald Trump’s next White House press secretary, saying she is not seeking a new position despite emerging as a favorite for the job.
Habba addressed the speculation Wednesday after prediction markets placed her among the leading possibilities to replace outgoing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“Flattered by the Kalshi odds, but I’m not in the running for any job,” Habba wrote on X.
The longtime Trump ally also took aim at reports surrounding her potential return to the White House.
“However, if I’m getting a new one, I’d love for one of these anonymous sources to let me know first,” she continued. “Fake news remains the undefeated champ…well…until I come at them.”
Habba’s statement effectively removed her name from consideration after speculation intensified over who Trump could select to become the next public face of his administration.
The prediction market Kalshi had given Habba a 35 percent chance of becoming the next press secretary before her announcement, placing her at the front of the field.
The speculation follows Leavitt’s announcement earlier this month that she plans to leave her position at the end of August.
Leavitt, 28, recently returned from maternity leave and said she would step away from the administration to spend more time with her two young children.
Her impending departure creates one of the most visible vacancies inside the Trump administration.
The White House press secretary regularly conducts televised briefings with reporters and serves as one of the administration’s primary public messengers.
Habba’s name was hardly an unusual one to surface.
She has been one of Trump’s most recognizable legal and political allies and previously emerged as a potential candidate for the press secretary position following Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election.
Habba said at the time that she was “flattered” by the possibility but believed she could better serve Trump in another capacity.
She ultimately joined the White House as counselor to the president.
Habba remained in that position for slightly more than two months before Trump appointed her interim U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey.
She later continued serving as acting U.S. attorney, but a federal appeals court upheld a ruling finding that her continued tenure in the position was unlawful.
Habba subsequently resigned from the position and was named senior adviser to the attorney general for U.S. attorneys, per Trending Politics.
Her relationship with Trump predates his second administration.
Before entering government, Habba served as Trump’s personal attorney and became a prominent defender of the president during his numerous legal battles.
She also emerged as one of Trump’s most visible surrogates during the 2024 presidential campaign, frequently appearing in television interviews and speaking publicly on his behalf.
That background helped fuel speculation that Trump could turn to Habba following Leavitt’s departure.
Habba, however, has now made clear that she does not intend to pursue the job.
The attention will consequently shift toward other potential candidates as the end of August approaches.
Trump has not publicly announced whom he intends to select to replace Leavitt, leaving one of the administration’s most prominent communications positions up for grabs.
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