Outgoing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is reportedly in discussions to join the panel of ABC's "The View," a move that has received enthusiastic backing from President Donald Trump and other White House officials, according to sources speaking with the Daily Mail. Leavitt, 29, announced earlier this month that she would be leaving her position at the end of August to focus on her family.
ABC representatives have reportedly conveyed their strong interest in Leavitt joining the show, though official negotiations have not yet commenced. "The View" producers are considering inviting Leavitt as a guest in the near future as a potential test run before offering her a permanent role on the all-female daytime lineup. The show is set to begin its 30th season this fall.
Discussions about future media roles while still in government positions are delicate, as officials are legally prohibited from negotiating private sector job opportunities while in office. This situation echoes criticism faced by former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki for her transition to MSNBC prior to her exit under President Joe Biden.
Leavitt is widely regarded by MAGA supporters as an effective communicator for President Trump. Her potential addition to "The View" would represent a significant shift for the program, which has long sought to feature a prominent conservative voice to challenge its predominantly liberal panel, which includes Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, Ana Navarro, and Alyssa Farah Griffin.
Former White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah Griffin, who joined the show after Trump's first term, did not fulfill the role of a consistent conservative challenger, ultimately declaring the president unfit for office after the January 6 Capitol events.
President Trump has a history of publicly criticizing "The View" and its hosts. He has referred to the show as "stupid" and its hosts as "really dumb people." He has singled out hosts like Sunny Hostin, calling her "dumber than Kamala," and Goldberg, branding her "demented" and "vulgar."
However, sources suggest Trump views Leavitt's potential presence on the show as a way to have an advocate on a program that influences political narratives. Trump has expressed understanding and respect for Leavitt's decision to leave her press secretary role, humorously stating she "loved her children more than she loved Donald Trump."
Leavitt's tenure as press secretary has not been without its controversies and criticism from "The View" hosts. Goldberg has publicly expressed frustration with Leavitt's comments criticizing "wokeness" in the media. Behar once suggested Leavitt's hiring was based on her appearance, stating, "I think that she's probably been put in there because according to Donald Trump, she's a 10." Hostin has also criticized Leavitt's marriage to Nicholas Riccio, who is 60, decades her senior, calling Leavitt's remarks about younger generations having "silver spoons" as "rich" coming from someone in an age-gap marriage.
Leavitt is expected to continue as an advisor to President Trump and plans to join his SuperPAC, MAGA Inc. In the interim, Trump and his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, are reportedly relying on a rotating list of cabinet members to conduct press briefings as they seek a replacement for Leavitt.