Alina Habba publicly took herself out of the running to become the next White House press secretary, leaving a wide-open field as President Trump prepares to fill one of his administration's most visible roles.
Habba, who now serves as senior adviser to the attorney general for U.S. attorneys, posted on X on Wednesday that she has no interest in the job, despite prediction market bettors on Kalshi giving her a 35% chance of landing the role. Her statement was blunt: she called the speculation "fake news" and said nobody had bothered to ask her first.
The post came days after 28-year-old Karoline Leavitt announced she would step down from the podium at the end of August, citing the demands of raising two young children while holding one of the most grueling jobs in Washington. Leavitt, who made history as the youngest press secretary when she took the role on Inauguration Day 2025 at age 27, gave birth to her second child, daughter Viviana, on May 1, 2026, and only returned to the podium on July 16.
With Habba out, the prediction market moved fast. CNN political commentator and former George W. Bush aide Scott Jennings jumped to the top of the Kalshi board, followed by Leavitt's deputy, Anna Kelly.
This is not the first time Habba has waved off press secretary speculation. After Trump won re-election in 2024, her name surfaced for the role then, too. She said at the time she was "flattered" but believed she would "be better served in other capacities." Kalshi bettors gave her a 35% chance even then.
Instead, Habba served just over two months as counselor to the president before moving to the Justice Department. She was appointed interim U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey, a position that became the subject of a legal challenge. A federal appeals court ultimately upheld a ruling that her service as acting U.S. attorney was unlawful, and she resigned. She was subsequently named to her current advisory role under the attorney general.
On Wednesday, Habba posted her response to the latest round of rumors:
"Flattered by the Kalshi odds, but I'm not in the running for any job. However, if I'm getting a new one, I'd love for one of these anonymous sources to let me know first. Fake news remains the undefeated champ...well...until I come at them."
The tone was unmistakable. Habba wanted the door closed, and she wanted it closed loudly.
Jennings' rise on the betting boards tracks with his growing profile inside Trump's orbit. Trump has referred to the CNN commentator as a "patriot" who "gets it" and has touted a recent book Jennings authored. Before joining CNN's panels, Jennings served as an aide in the George W. Bush White House, a background that gives him both media fluency and West Wing experience.
Anna Kelly, Leavitt's 29-year-old principal deputy, holds the other obvious inside track. The Washington Examiner reported that Kelly has been appearing with increasing frequency on television and radio, building the kind of public profile the role demands. The Examiner also floated Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson, 26, the daughter of former Trump adviser Steve Cortes, and War Department public affairs adviser Sean Parnell as potential picks.
The list extends well beyond those names. The New York Post reported that early front-runners also include Breitbart Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle, along with Taylor Budowich, Steven Cheung, Katie Miller, Monica Crowley, and Kari Lake. Betting markets have swung wildly since Leavitt's announcement, and no clear consensus has formed.
Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer offered a simple filter for the guessing game. He told Fox News Digital that the pick would come down to personal loyalty:
"The next press secretary will undoubtedly be someone who has a strong existing relationship with President Trump."
Leavitt framed her exit as a family decision. In her announcement, she said balancing motherhood with the press secretary role had been "the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least." Trump praised her publicly, writing that she was among his "most trusted aides" and "one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office." He added that she would serve as one of his "top outside advisors" and "an influential voice within the Republican Party."
But the administration may not rush to name a successor. The Washington Examiner noted that the position went unfilled during Leavitt's maternity leave, raising the possibility that Trump could let senior officials conduct sporadic briefings rather than install a permanent replacement right away. Just The News reported that speculation about candidates has already begun in earnest, though no formal shortlist has been announced.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on the search. No response was noted.
The press secretary role is one of the most public-facing positions in any administration, and one of the most expendable in terms of formal authority. The person behind the podium speaks for the president but makes no policy. What the role demands, above all, is the president's trust and the ability to handle a hostile press corps without flinching.
By that measure, Trump has a deep bench. The question is whether he wants someone from inside the building or someone who can bring a fresh combative edge from outside it.
Habba made her choice. Now it is Trump's turn to make his, and whoever he picks will inherit a briefing room that has never been friendly territory for this White House.
