Karoline Leavitt's Rumored Maternity Leave Fill-Ins Are From MAGA's B-List Bench

White House press secretary replacement rumors have been causing a stir ever since Karoline Leavitt first revealed she was pregnant with baby number two. As you may recall, Leavitt's first maternity leave with her first child, son Nicholas "Niko" Robert Riccio, famously came to an abrupt halt in July 2024 when then-presidential hopeful Donald J. Trump was shot during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. "I felt compelled to be present in this historic moment," Leavitt later told The Conservateur about giving up her maternity leave for Trump after only four days. "The president literally put his life on the line to win this election. The least I could do is get back to work quickly."

This time, however, barring no more assassination attempts or other harrowing crises, of course, it appears that the press secretary will indeed be taking some time off to bond with her newborn daughter. But who exactly is qualified to fill Leavitt's high-stakes role within the administration while she's away? As it turns out, it's pretty slim pickings with names from MAGA's B-list bench floating around, including the likes of Alina Habba, Margo Martin, and Tricia McLaughlin. (To be fair, Trump's probably going to be hard-pressed to find another secretary with those same "machine gun lips" he goes gaga over.)

Alina Habba's name has been on the tip of tongues everywhere following Karoline Leavitt's pregnancy announcement. Habba, who served as Donald Trump's personal attorney (albeit rather unsuccessfully, at times), was rumored to be in the running for press secretary following his 2024 election win. And while Habba seemed to entertain the idea during an appearance on Fox, telling host Sean Hannity that she would "think about it very seriously" (via the New York Post), she later penned a statement on X that said otherwise. "While I am flattered by the support and speculation, the role of Press Secretary is not a role I am considering. Although I love screaming from a podium I will be better served in other capacities," she tweeted merely one day before Trump announced Leavitt as his official White House Press Secretary pick. Pretty convenient timing, no?

These days, however, it appears Habba might be open to new work, after all. In December 2025, Habba resigned from her Trump-appointed position as the United States attorney for New Jersey, months after a federal appeals court ruled she was unlawfully appointed to the gig, stating on X that the decision was all in an effort "to protect the stability and integrity of the office which I love." Sure, Jan. Subsequently, Attorney General Pam Bondi promptly appointed Habba as one of her top advisors. 

Margo Martin is another MAGA B-list contender rumored to fill in for Karoline Leavitt. Over the years, Martin has proved to be a key player in both of President Donald Trump's administrations, serving as a press assistant during his first term, and as a special assistant to the president and communications advisor in his second term. Naturally, given Martin's experience, it only seems natural that she might fill in for Leavitt, who also happens to be a close friend of hers — or at least was. As evidenced by photos Leavitt posted to Instagram, as well as a report by the New York Post, Martin was notably missing in action at Leavitt's baby shower. Perhaps things are already getting a bit weird and awkward between Leavitt and her potential replacement? TBD, we suppose. 

It's also rumored that former Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin was set to fill in for Karoline Leavitt during her maternity leave. As you may recall, McLaughlin left her position with the DHS in February amid widespread controversy over the agency's hard-lined tactics involving ICE agents, but gave no details regarding her next move. Still, she was extremely complimentary of the Trump administration as well as her boss, Kristi Noem, signaling that she had left on nothing but good terms. "I am enormously grateful to President Trump, Secretary Noem, and the American people for the honor and privilege to serve this great nation," McLaughlin said in a statement (via Politico). "I look forward to continuing the fight ahead," she added.

On February 17, Leavitt herself penned words of support for McLaughlin on X, tweeting, "I am sad to see my friend, @TriciaOhio, leave DHS. She has been a strong and fearless voice on behalf of President Trump and the brave men and women of federal law enforcement. I know I speak for everyone at the White House when I say we wish Tricia the absolute best!" Perhaps part of McLaughlin's resolve to "continue the fight ahead" includes filling in for Leavitt while she's on maternity leave?

Three's company?! On February 12, 2026, the Washington Examiner reported that President Donald Trump's administration would not be replacing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt with a single person. "Marco [Rubio] will get up," an unnamed source told the Conservative news magazine. "So too will the Vice President. There will be special guests," the source added. Perhaps a motley trio of Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, Tricia McLaughlin?! 

According to another source, the reason for the decision of a revolving door of fill-ins for Leavitt is very simple. "She is so impressive," the insider gushed. "And you could see her face toughen when she got a question she didn't like." Very tough face — got it.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump echoed those same sentiments previously during an appearance on Fox News in late December 2025. "Karoline Leavitt is a machine. She's incredible. And she's going nowhere," Lara maintained. "I've seen stories of people saying who's next in line. Nobody is next in line. It's Karoline. She can do everything." Alexa, play "Irreplaceable" by Beyoncé.