US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that deputy White House staff secretary Ben Moss will become assistant to the president and White House staff secretary on September 2.
Moss will replace Will Scharf, who is now the White House Counsel, Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Outgoing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt bid farewell to reporters on Thursday as she prepared to leave the administration after 20 months in the role, offering a candid glimpse into the demands of one of Washington’s most visible jobs.
“I’ll miss you guys. I know that’s probably not something anyone would expect me to say,” Leavitt told reporters. “Obviously, it’s been great working with all of you.”
Leavitt said the televised briefings most associated with the job represent only a small fraction of a press secretary’s daily work.
“I think people don’t realize about this job, the briefings and what I just did on TV is 10%. Ninety percent of it is taking all of your calls at 5 in the morning and 11 p.m. at night,” she said.
“And I won’t really miss that, but I will miss working with you guys every day,” she added.
Leavitt's advice for her successor, 'Trump is his own best spokesperson'
Asked what advice she would give her successor, Leavitt said the most important thing was understanding President Donald Trump’s unique role in shaping the White House’s message.
“President Trump is his own best spokesperson,” she said, adding that she and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung often joke that Trump is “the true communications director and press secretary here at the White House.”
Leavitt said serving as Trump’s spokesperson and conveying his thinking to reporters and the American public had been an honor.
“I believe so much in my heart about what this president is doing every day, the policies he’s enacting,” she said. “It’s been an honor to speak on behalf of him and to understand his thinking and to relay it to all of you, but also to the country over the past 20 months and then again before that on the campaign.”
‘I’ll still be around’
Leavitt stressed that her departure from the White House does not mean she is leaving Trump’s political orbit.
“I’ll still be around. I’m going to just go to the other side so I can spend some more time with my kids,” she said.
Leavitt has confirmed that she will return to MAGA Inc., the pro-Trump super PAC where she worked as a spokesperson before joining Trump’s presidential campaign.
Republicans turn attention to November midterms
Her move comes as Trump and Republicans turn their attention to the November midterm elections.
Asked whether Trump was distancing himself from congressional Republicans, Leavitt rejected the suggestion, saying the president remains “wholeheartedly committed to helping Republicans across the board retain the majority.”
She said Trump would continue traveling across the country, raising money and campaigning for Republican candidates through Election Day.
“President Trump, there’s no harder worker or greater fighter in politics than him,” Leavitt said. “So you’ll continue to see him stay out there.”
Leavitt then brought her farewell to an abrupt but fitting end, telling reporters she had one final obligation to attend to.
“I do have a meeting in the chief of staff’s office that I’m going to get to, so I’m not late for my last meeting,” she said.
“But thanks, guys, and I’ll see you all soon. Take care.”