WHITE HOUSE CHAOS! Karoline Leavitt is OUT as the race for her replacement explodes. Who is the secret favorite to seize the podium?
Who could step in as Karoline Leavitt prepares for maternity leave?
As White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt prepares to welcome her second child, attention has turned to who may temporarily take over one of the administration’s most visible roles.
Leavitt, 28, confirmed in December that she and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, are expecting a baby girl in May. While she is expected to return after her leave, questions have emerged about who could handle press briefings in her absence.
Several names within and around the current communications team have surfaced as possible stand-ins, reflecting a mix of internal experience and broader political communication backgrounds.
Key figures within the press office
Among those frequently mentioned is Anna Kelly, currently serving as Principal Deputy Press Secretary. Her background includes work on Republican campaigns, as well as communications roles tied to the U.S. House of Representatives and state party organizations, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Kelly, who is from Fairfax, Virginia, previously earned the 2019 Miss State Fair of Virginia title. According to the Fairfax Times, she used that platform to advocate for youth political involvement.
“My generation stands in an incredible position of power,” Kelly told the outlet. She added that young people should recognize their influence and “work to ensure the government we receive is a good one.”
X / AnnaKellyGOP
Her academic background includes a political science degree with a minor in community and civic engagement from Auburn University, followed by a master’s degree in political management from George Washington University.
Taylor Rogers / Instagram
Taylor Rogers and Liz Huston, both assistant press secretaries, are also part of the current communications structure supporting Leavitt. Their roles involve assisting with media coordination and briefing room operations.
Rogers previously worked as a press assistant for the Republican National Committee and served as a guest greeter at Fox News.
Katie Pavlich among the other leading candidates
Outside of the immediate press team, other figures have been discussed as potential temporary replacements.
Kush Desai, who serves as Deputy Press Secretary and Special Assistant to the President, brings experience as a former journalist and has held communications roles with the Republican National Committee. He is also a graduate of Dartmouth College.
Katie Pavlich / Instagram
Katie Pavlich, a journalist and political commentator, has also been mentioned in connection with the role. She currently hosts a show on NewsNation after taking over the slot in December 2025 and is known for her contributions to Fox News programs including The Five and Jesse Watters Primetime.
Another possible candidate is Tricia McLaughlin, who previously served as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security. She stepped down from that role in February, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to serve.
Tricia McLaughlin / Youtube
McLaughlin has also held positions in the first Trump administration, including roles at the State Department and the U.S. Treasury.
Leavitt’s expected return
Despite the ongoing discussion about a temporary replacement, Leavitt has made clear that she does not intend to step away from her position permanently.
Her previous return to work during the 2024 campaign cycle drew attention, when she resumed duties after just four days of maternity leave following an assassination attempt involving the president.
While it remains unclear how long she will take off this time, she is expected to resume her role after the birth of her child.
The Invisible Bench: Software Engineers in the Era of Generative AI
By AI Correspondent
Not long ago, a software engineer with a few years of experience could update their LinkedIn profile and expect a flood of messages from eager recruiters within the hour. Today, that same engineer is more likely to be sitting on the "invisible bench"—unemployed, meticulously refining their resume, and watching as the industry they love rapidly transforms without them.
The widespread adoption of Artificial Intelligence has irrevocably altered the landscape of software development. While the narrative often focuses on the awe-inspiring capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs), a quieter, more painful story is unfolding among the thousands of developers who find themselves sidelined in an increasingly automated workforce.
The Identity Crisis of the Modern Maker
For decades, the appeal of software engineering was deeply rooted in craftsmanship. Developers were the ultimate modern makers, building complex, interactive worlds from blank screens and sheer logic.
Now, the arrival of AI coding assistants has triggered a profound identity crisis, particularly for those currently out of work.
The Devaluation of Craft: Tasks that once required deep concentration and technical elegance—such as writing complex algorithms or debugging intricate networks of code—can now be solved with a well-structured prompt. Unemployed developers are grappling with the realization that the specific hard skills they spent thousands of hours perfecting are rapidly depreciating in value.
The Emotional Toll: The transition from being a highly sought-after "architect" to feeling obsolete takes a heavy toll on mental health. Tech forums are filled with stories of developers experiencing severe imposter syndrome, anxiety, and a loss of purpose as they compete not just against other humans, but against tireless algorithms.
The Rise of the Hyper-Lean Company
The struggles of unemployed developers are compounded by a fundamental shift in how tech companies operate. The era of "growth at all costs"—which drove massive hiring sprees—has been replaced by a mandate for efficiency. AI is the engine powering this new paradigm.
Startups and established enterprises alike have discovered the power of the "hyper-lean" team.
Doing More with Less: A team of three senior engineers, augmented by advanced AI tools, can now output the same volume of code as a traditional team of ten.
The Missing Rungs: This efficiency means companies no longer have the bandwidth or the financial incentive to hire junior or mid-level developers to handle routine coding tasks. The bottom rungs of the career ladder have essentially been sawed off, leaving entry-level and transitioning developers with no clear path into the industry.
The New Currency: Architecture and Empathy
Despite the gloomy outlook, human developers are not being entirely erased; rather, the definition of a "developer" is being aggressively rewritten. To get off the bench, unemployed programmers are realizing they must evolve past simply writing code.
The new currency in the tech job market involves skills that AI currently lacks:
Systems Thinking and Architecture: AI can write a brilliant function, but it struggles to design a cohesive, secure, and scalable system across multiple cloud environments. Developers who can architect the "big picture" remain highly valuable.
Product and Business Acumen: The gap between human needs and technical execution is wider than ever. Engineers who deeply understand business logic, user experience, and market fit are becoming indispensable translators between AI outputs and human requirements.
Human-in-the-Loop Management: As AI generates more code, companies need senior-level oversight to audit, secure, and maintain that code. The role of the developer is shifting from "typist" to "editor and auditor."
Navigating the Chasm
We are currently in a messy transitional chasm. The technology has advanced faster than the workforce can adapt, leaving a trail of skilled, passionate professionals in a state of professional limbo.
The software engineers sitting on the invisible bench today are not victims of a lack of ambition or talent; they are caught in the crosshairs of a generational technological shift. As the industry continues to integrate AI, it must also take responsibility for this displaced workforce. Fostering new training pathways, redefining entry-level roles for the AI era, and providing mental health support are not just ethical imperatives—they are essential steps to ensure the tech industry retains the human ingenuity it will always need.
