Karoline Leavitt became the youngest White House press secretary in U.S. history at age 27.

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At 27, Leavitt is the youngest person ever to serve as White House press secretary, breaking the record held by Ron Ziegler, who was 29 when Nixon appointed him in 1969. The press secretary role—though not mentioned in the Constitution—derives authority from executive branch control of White House communications, making it a powerful gatekeeping position that controls which journalists get access, whose questions get answered, and how information reaches the public. Leavitt's youth and lack of traditional journalism experience signal Trump's broader strategy of appointing loyalists who prioritize media performance and presidential advocacy over journalistic expertise. Her appointment reflects Trump's preference for staff who can "perform for an audience of one"—a phrase New York Times TV critic James Poniewozik used to describe how Trump aides tailor their public performances for the president's approval, often using television as their primary communication channel with him.

Karoline Leavitt became the youngest White House press secretary in U.S. history at age 27.

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