White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has reportedly set out clear criteria for choosing the administration's next press secretary, telling those involved in the search that she is looking for a "grownup" for the role, according to CNN.

On Thursday, CNN senior White House correspondent Kristen Holmes reported that Wiles has defined what she wants in the person hired to replace outgoing Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who will leave her post at the end of August. Wiles, the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff, co-ran President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign before taking the post in January 2025.

"One of the things that I was told by a number of sources is that Wiles has said that she is looking for a 'grownup,' somebody who understands the job and is also professional in that job," Holmes said. "It's one thing to just stand at the podium and attack, but they also want somebody who can work with reporters behind the scenes to actually try and shape the narrative."

Leavitt announced earlier this month that she is stepping away from the role to focus on her family. At 27, she became the youngest press secretary in White House history when she took the job in January, and her debut briefing opened seats in the room to podcasters, influencers and other new media voices. CNN conservative pundit Scott Jennings has been reported as an early favorite for the position, and he reportedly met with Wiles about the job over the weekend. Jennings is a veteran Republican strategist who served in President George W. Bush's White House and on Mitch McConnell's Senate campaigns before becoming a regular presence on CNN's panels, where he is known for outspoken defenses of the president.

"I'm told this came at the request of the White House," Holmes said of Wiles' meeting with Jennings. "This really was, for all intents and purposes, a preliminary meeting. This was the two of them meeting face-to-face for the first time as Susie Wiles is really starting this process to find a new press secretary."

Holmes reported that the decision on who will replace Leavitt will be up to Wiles and President Donald Trump. The meeting with Jennings, Holmes said, was Wiles "laying out exactly what she wanted from a press secretary and introducing herself to Jennings."

"There's a belief in the West Wing that she backs Jennings," Holmes added. "But I did get some pushback from that, essentially saying it was too early to determine that the chief of staff had backed anyone."

Wiles is also weighing a key question about the potential hire. "Can he do all the closed-door legwork that has made Karoline so effective? No one knows," Holmes said. "It's not so much about Jennings. It's so much about Karoline Leavitt leaving, and again, the critical role she has played."

Turnover in the role is nothing new for a Trump White House: the president's first term cycled through four press secretaries, from Sean Spicer to Kayleigh McEnany, in a single term. With Leavitt's departure set for the end of August, the administration now has weeks to settle on a successor and manage the handover before the podium changes hands.

Source: Raw Story