Trump names Karoline Leavitt youngest ever White House press secretary

President-elect Donald Trump on Friday named Karoline Leavitt as his second-term White House press secretary.

Leavitt, a 27-year-old New Hampshire native who served as a spokesperson for the Trump 2024 presidential campaign, will be the youngest White House press secretary ever. She is set to have one of the most visible jobs in the new GOP administration. Previous members of Trump’s White House press office have become prominent figures in politics and the media, including Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Fox News co-host Kayleigh McEnany.

"Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator," Trump said in a press release. "I have the utmost confidence she will excel at the podium, and help deliver our message to the American People as we, Make America Great Again.”

Ron Ziegler, who at 29 years old was named President Richard Nixon's press secretary in 1969, was previously the youngest to hold the position.

During Trump's first administration, Leavitt interned at the White House. She joined Trump's team after graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in politics and communication from Saint Anselm College. At the White House, Leavitt worked as a presidential writer and assistant press secretary under McEnany.

In 2022, Leavitt ran for Congress in New Hampshire. She won the GOP primary at the age of 25, but lost to the Democratic incumbent.

Leavitt was the first Republican from Gen Z to win a House primary. Before running for Congress, she worked for Rep.  Elise Stefanik, a New York Republican who Trump earlier this week said he plans to nominate to be his United Nations ambassador.

Leavitt was one of the early hires for Trump’s 2024 campaign, which had multiple spokespeople. Leavitt, who recently had a baby, was the most visible on television. She's also the latest in a series of White House staffing moves that includes Susie Wiles as chief of staff, longtime aide Steven Cheung as communications director and Sergio Gor as director of the Presidential Personnel Office.

Contributing: Joey Garrison

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump hires Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary