US President Donald Trump on Monday suggested that Fox News reporter Alexis McAdams could replace Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary. During a one-on-one interview with McAdams on Fox News on Sunday, Trump was asked whether Leavitt, who is due to leave the post at the end of August, could be replaced.

“Is Karoline Leavitt replaceable?” McAdams asked.

“No, she’s not,” Trump replied, pointing out that Leavitt was nearby and had “done a great job”.

Trump said Leavitt, who recently returned from maternity leave after the birth of her second child, was more devoted to her family than to her White House role. “She likes her children more than she likes Trump. I’m very concerned about that,” he said.

When McAdams asked whether he had someone in mind to take over the role, Trump looked at her and replied: “You. How about you?”

“She could do the job,” he added.

Trump then asked Leavitt for her view, saying: “What do you think, Karoline? I like it. I’ve always liked you. That’s why I’m doing this. I don’t do this that often.”

McAdams joined Fox News in 2021 and is based in New York City.

Trump announced on 12 August that Leavitt would leave her position at the end of the month to spend more time with her two young children.

“Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trusted aides, Karoline Leavitt, will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He said she would continue to work as an outside adviser.

Leavitt, who became the youngest White House press secretary in history when she took the position at the age of 27 in January 2025, said the role had been “the honor and adventure of a lifetime”.

“The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary,” she wrote on X.

Trump was reportedly surprised by Leavitt’s decision to leave and is not expected to rush to appoint a permanent successor.

In the meantime, a rotating group of administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance, is expected to handle White House briefings.

Trump has appointed several Fox News personalities to senior administration positions during his second term, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro.