Former counselor to President Trump Alina Habba said she would take the job as White House press secretary if the president asked her, following Karoline Leavitt’s exit.
When asked on “The Benny Show,” hosted by far-right political commentator Benny Johnson, if she would fill Ms. Leavitt’s shoes, Ms. Habba said, “If the president called me and asked me? Of course I would do it.”
“Do I think I could do it? Absolutely. I feel that I kind of had done it before he was in the White House to some extent,” she said in a clip posted Monday, referring to her legal spokesperson status and media surrogate for Mr. Trump during high-profile civil and criminal trials.
“He knows what’s best for his administration and for the American people. And he knows what to do, and I trust his judgment … whoever it is that he picks to choose that role …” she continued. “But of course, you know me, Benny. I have a hard time saying no to that man.”
Kalshi bettors had previously picked Ms. Habba as the favorite to replace Ms. Leavitt, 29, as White House press secretary, who stepped down Thursday to spend more time with her young family following the birth of her second child in May.
“Like Karoline, I have a family, and I’ve been enjoying that as well,” Ms. Habba, 42, told Mr. Johnson.
Mr. Trump’s former personal attorney had previously dismissed rumors that she would be taking over as press secretary, stating that she is not in the running for any job.
“However, if I’m getting a new one, I’d love for one of these anonymous sources to let me know first,” she said on social media on Aug. 19. “Fake news remains the undefeated champ … well … until I come at them.”
The White House has yet to signal who will be tapped to replace Ms. Leavitt, but Mr. Trump’s silence on that matter has only fueled speculation and prediction market bets from offering up contenders.
Before she opted out of the running, Kalshi trades gave Ms. Habba a 39% chance of becoming the White House’s official spokesperson.
After her mid-August post, CNN conservative commentator Scott Jennings became the new favorite, followed by Ms. Leavitt’s principal deputy press secretary, Anna Kelly.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, political adviser Katie Miller and White House Communications Adviser Margo Martin have also been floated by guessers.
As of Monday afternoon, Ms. Kelly is at the top of the guess list with Kalshi bettors putting her at 27%. Ms. Habba sits at 6%.
On her last day on the job, Ms. Leavitt said the president has a short list of names to replace her.
In a Thursday interview with NewsNation’s “Morning in America,” she said, “I think I have a say in the qualities that the person should have.”
“I will leave the decision to the president himself, and I’ll keep my private counsel to him private,” she said.
