Who Will Take Over For Karoline Leavitt's Maternity Leave? These Rumored Picks Would Be A Hot Mess

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is due to give birth to her second child in May 2026. With her awkward MAGA baby shower out of the way, behind the scenes, preparations are surely being put in place for her imminent maternity leave. Lately, things feel particularly chaotic, and it's hard to imagine that this administration won't be in desperate need of a press secretary when May comes around. So, will someone be filling Leavitt's shoes when she's gone? If so, who will be taking on the task during an especially difficult time?

Leavitt reportedly has no intention to permanently leave her role as press secretary, despite the fact that she and hubby Nicholas Riccio are sure to have their hands full with two kids under two years old. Plus, Donald Trump's repeated skeevy praise of Leavitt definitely doesn't indicate that he'll be letting her go anytime soon. Still, her maternity leave is inevitable, however long it will last, and that means someone will likely need to fill her role. 

Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin and NewsNation host Katie Pavlich are reportedly among the possible stand-ins for Leavitt. Yet, other names being mentioned for the gig are a bit surprising. If they do get chosen to take the podium, we definitely anticipate a bit of an incoming mess.

Before Karoline Leavitt got the press secretary gig, Alina Habba was a rumored frontrunner for the role. "While I am flattered by the support and speculation, the role of Press Secretary is not a role I am considering. Although I love screaming from a podium I will be better served in other capacities," Habba ultimately wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Whether she really removed herself from the running or Donald Trump remembered that she was his worst lawyer and ditched the idea is unclear. Yet, this didn't stop folks from commenting on Habba's X post with their thoughts about why she wouldn't be a good fit for the role, with one person writing, "As the worst lawyer on earth, Press Secretary is a better fit than using your legal skills."

These days, Habba is a Senior Advisor to Attorney General Pam Bondi. While she could likely pause this role for a stint as press secretary, it probably wouldn't end well. Habba once famously said on the "PBD Podcast" (per The Independent), "Somebody said to me, 'Alina, would you rather be smart or pretty?' And I said, 'Oh, easy, pretty ... I can fake being smart.'" The lack of self-awareness in this comment doesn't bode well for the job of a press secretary, who often has to speak off the cuff. While Trump has said enough about Leavitt's try-hard duck lips for us to know he likes having a pretty press secretary, being smart is important for this job.

While Alina Habba might not be the best pick for press secretary, hearing her name floated for the role isn't necessarily surprising. It is a bit surprising, however, to hear that Riley Gaines is reportedly being considered. Gaines is an anti-transgender activist who rose to notoriety as a failed swimmer at the University of Kentucky who tied for fifth place in a swim meet against fellow simmer, Lia Thomas, a transgender woman. Gaines used this experience to make her way into the public eye, arguing on behalf of MAGA talking points about transgender women competing in sports. 

While Gaines has gotten some airtime, speaking engagements, and a podcast out of her bitterness over tying for fifth place, none of this really indicates that she has the main skill needed to be a successful press secretary: public speaking. Gaines would need to think on her feet for the role, and while she could be capable of this, she doesn't have the experience needed to prove it.

Nonetheless, Gaines has indicated that she's likely to further MAGA's agenda and say whatever is necessary to push the Trump administration's narrative, which may mean she's an ideal pick in Donald Trump's eyes. After all, he's shown that loyalty is more important to him than competence. Either way, this choice would likely end in disaster.

Another somewhat out-of-left-field potential press secretary pick is Special Assistant and Communications Advisor Margo Martin. While she may be one of Donald Trump's right-hand women, Martin typically leans out of the public eye more than some of her peers do. As such, it's hard to know how Martin might handle questions from the press or a high-profile role. After all, she even seems to avoid interviews, which may make her ill-equipped to take Karoline Leavitt's place at the podium.

Martin has a major hand in the behind-the-scenes footage of Trump and the White House that is used for the administration's social media presence. She also happens to be BFFs with Leavitt, so that could get her a glowing recommendation. Even so, considering her quiet presence, it's hard to imagine a role like press secretary not having Martin in over her head. While Leavitt's famously prickly attitude at press briefings often suggests she can't handle the heat, someone who's only used to observing from the sidelines would likely fare even worse.