Trump Adviser Alina Habba Dismisses Talk of Press Secretary Role

Alina Habba moved swiftly Wednesday to quash mounting speculation that she could assume the role of White House press secretary following Karoline Leavitt’s recent announcement that she will depart the position by month’s end. Habba, currently serving as senior adviser to the attorney general for U.S. attorneys, had emerged as a betting favorite on prediction market platform Kalshi, where traders assigned her a 35 percent probability of succeeding the 28-year-old Leavitt.

In a post on X, Habba expressed gratitude for the consideration while firmly denying her candidacy for the job. She wrote that she remained “flattered by the Kalshi odds” but clarified she was “not in the running for any job,” adding a jab at media coverage of the speculation. When similar rumors surfaced following Trump’s 2024 election victory, Habba indicated she would be “better served in other capacities.”

Habba’s career in Trump’s administration has followed an unconventional trajectory. She initially served as counselor to the president for just over two months before being named interim U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey. After a federal appeals court determined her service in that role was unlawful, she resigned and subsequently transitioned to her current position advising the attorney general.

Following Habba’s denial, CNN political commentator Scott Jennings became the leading candidate on Kalshi betting markets, trailed by Anna Kelly, Leavitt’s deputy. Jennings, a former adviser to President George W. Bush, had also been mentioned as a potential successor when Leavitt was initially selected. Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer indicated that Trump’s chosen successor would likely be someone with an established relationship with the president.