President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday that Steven Cheung will be communications director and Karoline Leavitt will be White House press secretary.
Trump has selected Steven Cheung as White House communications director, his transition team announced. He is a former spokesman for the UFC mixed martial arts federation, who was responsible for the “rapid response team” of Trump's staff during the election campaign, and after his victory, he took on the role of spokesman for the transition team.
Like his boss, he is known for harsh statements and insulting critics and opponents of the president-elect in the media and politics. The future head of White House communications also does not shy away from using epithets such as “insane,” as he called journalist Bob Woodward, or “loser,” as he called Kamala Harris.
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The communications director is the main official responsible for the president's information and PR policy. During Trump's first presidency, this role – which was held by six different people – was often combined with that of White House spokesman (press secretary).
Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary
For White House press secretary Donald Trump however, he chose Karolina Leavitt. “She did a phenomenal job as National Press Secretary during my historic campaign, and I am pleased to announce that she will serve as White House Press Secretary,” Trump said of her.
– Karoline is smart, tenacious and has proven to be a highly effective communicator. “I have every confidence that he will do even greater things and help us get our message across to the American people as we make America great again.”
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Reuters notes that the job of White House press secretary is not an easy one. He (or she) must provide credible information to journalists and gain their recognition, while maintaining full loyalty to the president.
Leavitt, 27, will be the youngest White House press secretary in history. Previously, this title was held by Ronald Ziegler, who was 29 years old when he took up this position in 1969 in the administration of Richard Nixon.
AP emphasizes that Trump, during his first term in the White House, often broke accepted rules and acted alone as his spokesman. He had four press secretaries but frequently spoke at news conferences, rallies and on social media. During the campaign before this year's elections, he promised journalists that “they would have full access to him and plenty of press briefings.”
Main photo source: ALLISON ROBBERT/PAP/EPA