Donald Trump Could Replace Karoline Leavitt With Former Model Elizabeth Pipko as White House Press Secretary After Katie Zacharia Firing: Report

Reports have floated former model and Republican spokesperson Elizabeth Pipko as a candidate for White House press secretary, aiming to replace Karoline Leavitt after her unexpected departure in August.

However, the press secretary role has since changed hands again, and current prediction markets place Pipko as a long-shot candidate to succeed Leavitt's short-lived replacement, Katie Zacharia.

Pipko, 31, is described as an author, model, media personality, and political commentator.

Pipko's political career began when she joined President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. In May 2024, she became the RNC's national spokeswoman, and in March 2026, she joined the United States Holocaust Memorial Council.

Born to Russian immigrants, Pipko founded The Exodus Movement (originally Jexodus) — which encourages Jewish Americans to leave the Democratic Party — and Lest People Forget, a digital Holocaust remembrance platform launched in 2023.

She is married to Darren Centinello, a former digital political strategist who also worked on Trump's 2016 and 2020 campaigns. Her father, Roman Pipko, serves as the U.S. Ambassador to Estonia.

Leavitt stepped down as White House press secretary to take an outside advisory role. After her departure, speculation ran wide on potential successors — including Pipko, CNN’s MAGA mouthpiece Scott Jennings and Deputy White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly.

Trump appointed Zacharia, a communications adviser at his media company, to officially succeed Leavitt.

Zacharia left the position after just five days on the job following a rocky first briefing and intense scrutiny over her credentials.

According to betting data from the prediction platform Kalshi as of October 20, Pipko remains a potential contender but is currently considered a long shot.

While Pipko has strong ties to the Trump family and significant support within Trump's inner circle, Kelly, 29, and Jennings, 48, are currently leading the field to fill the vacancy permanently.

Kelly has worked as the White House principal deputy press secretary since February 2026, after serving as a deputy press secretary starting in January 2025.

She previously served as the National Press Secretary for the Republican National Committee from 2023 to 2024 and as a communications director for Rep. Derrick Van Orden and the Wisconsin Republican Party.

Trump’s Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, is said to have pushed for Jennings, who seems ready to jump if the opportunity presented itself.

While discussing the vacancy on CNN's The Source with anchor John Berman on October 16, Jennings emphasized the immense pressure of the podium.

“The role requires a highly qualified individual with extensive experience to handle the hostile environment expected in Washington... That person... is in the spotlight every day," Jennings said.