Updated January 29, 2025 at 13:23 PM ET
When Karoline Leavitt took the podium Tuesday for her first briefing as White House press secretary, she laid out some changes: independent creators, including podcasters and social media influencers, would now be able to apply for White House press credentials.
"Americans are consuming their news media from various different platforms, especially young people," she said. "And as the youngest press secretary in history, thanks to President Trump, I take great pride in opening up this room to new media voices to share the president's message with as many Americans as possible."
It's a decision that comes after Trump made a targeted effort to appear on nontraditional media platforms during the presidential campaign, in part specifically to court voters under 30, a group he made significant gains with last fall.
At 27 years old, Leavitt is the youngest person to hold the job of top White House spokesperson. The position hasn't been held by someone under 30 since former President Richard Nixon's administration in 1969.
While Leavitt comes to the job with less time in political communications than some of her predecessors, she has been a longtime Trump aide and worked in the press shop during his first run in the White House.
Over the past year, Leavitt became a prominent face on the president's team, serving as national press secretary for the campaign and, before that, as the spokesperson for Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc.
"Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator," Trump said in a statement last fall announcing her new role. "I have the utmost confidence she will excel at the podium, and help deliver our message to the American people."
The press secretary has a background on Capitol Hill, having previously worked as the communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, who Trump has tapped to be U.N. ambassador.
Leavitt also came close to serving in Congress. A New Hampshire native, she ran in a competitive New Hampshire district, winning her Republican primary but ultimately failing to unseat the Democratic incumbent.
If she had won, Leavitt would have been one of the first members of Gen Z to serve in Congress and the first woman of that generation.
Leavitt defended Trump's unique appeal to young voters throughout her tenure as his campaign spokesperson.
"The president has a message that resonates with young people," Leavitt told NPR during an interview in Sept. "If you want to live the American dream, be able to afford a home, have costs go down [for] gas, groceries, rent, and you want to be able to afford a family, then there's only one option to vote for."
Though voters under 30 still sided with Vice President Harris overall, Democrats lost serious ground, and Trump made gains compared to 2020 and 2016. The economy and jobs were also cited as the top issues for young Americans when voting, according to exit polling from the Associated Press.
When Leavitt spoke with NPR in September, Harris' campaign had benefited from a slew of viral internet support. Leavitt brushed it aside.
"Young people care about policy," she said. "Young people are struggling right now."
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