One name has reportedly topped the list of press secretary for the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, and it’s a name his supporters are intimately familiar with.
Attorney Alina Habba, who has served as the president’s spokeswoman throughout his legal nightmares over the past 18 months, is the front-runner, according to Mediaite, which quoted four sources without attribution.
“There has been no formal decision as of yet, but Habba is the favorite for the role, insiders said,” according to the left-wing outlet.
“One source, granted anonymity to speak about internal deliberations, said there are ongoing discussions with Habba about the job but it remains unclear whether she will take it,” Mediaite added.
“She’s expected to be at Mar-a-Lago this week for conversations regarding a potential role” in the administration, a source noted.
This is a no brainer @AlinaHabba for press secretary. Alina is proven, loyal, amazing work ethic, looks great, smart af, great communicator, never quits, a natural leader & a defiant winner! pic.twitter.com/gQWolCTKot
— Grant Cardone (@GrantCardone) November 12, 2024
CNN reported that Trump campaign representative Karoline Leavitt is also thought to be in the running for the post.
President Trump didn’t just defeat Kamala Harris.
He defeated the big tech oligarchs who tried to silence him, the weaponized system of justice against him, and the fake news that has lied about him and his supporters for years.
Greatest political comeback in HISTORY! pic.twitter.com/SrXBU7dbS6
— Karoline Leavitt (@kleavittnh) November 6, 2024
Leavitt served as an assistant press secretary during the first Trump administration, working under then-press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.
McEnany, as would Habba, brought a legal background to the role, having graduated from Harvard Law School.
Trump has outlined his plans to “dismantle” the so-called “deep state” and take back American democracy from Washington’s “corruption.”
In a video message, Trump’s ten-point plan tries to change how the federal government works, focusing on changing long-standing bureaucratic structures and practices in the national security and intelligence areas. His plan includes executive orders, reforms, and a push for structural changes within government agencies. It focuses on openness and responsibility.
“Here is my plan to destroy the deep state and take back our democracy from corrupt Washington once and for all—and corrupt it is. First, I will instantly reissue my 2020 Executive Order that gives the President the power to fire bad bureaucrats, and I will use that power very strongly,” Trump said, a reference to the order which involved a plan known as “Schedule F.”
Trump’s second action point calls for a complete review of the intelligence and national security agencies, which he has repeatedly said are being used against political opponents. He said, “We will get rid of all the corrupt people in our national security and intelligence apparatus.”
He also said that these agencies would be changed to stop what he called the targeting of conservatives, Christians, and other people seen as political enemies. Trump thinks these changes are necessary to ensure these powerful organizations work impartially.
Trump’s third plan of action targets the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) courts, which grant intelligence agencies warrants to spy on Americans. He said, “We will totally reform FISA courts, which are so corrupt that the judges seem to not care when they are lied to in warrant applications.”
Trump has been critical of the FISA courts for their role in what he called “fraudulent warrant applications,” saying that many FISA judges are aware that cases brought before them are wrong but don’t usually intervene to stop them from moving forward by denying surveillance warrants.
Trump’s fifth point is that he wants a “major crackdown” on government leaks, going after people who provide classified information to the media.
“We will crack down hard on government leakers who work with fake news to spread lies and undermine our government and democracy,” he said.