Trump Dines with Ivanka as Press Secretary Rumor Swirls Around Alina Habba
Donald Trump was seen eating at his Bedminster Golf Club with Ivanka while Alina Habba, a potential White House press secretary, also attended.
Donald Trump spent a weekend at the Bedminster Golf Club in New Jersey, where he dined with his eldest daughter Ivanka while the Village People’s “YMCA” played. Alina Habba, a former personal attorney and longtime Trump spokeswoman, was spotted at a nearby table. Habba has been floated as a candidate to replace Karoline Leavitt, who announced her resignation last week, and she posted a message urging the next press secretary to be ready for a fight.
Earlier, Trump unsuccessfully tried to secure her appointment as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey; the Senate never confirmed her, and a federal appeals court later ruled the position unlawful, prompting her resignation. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi noted that Habba would remain a senior advisor in the Justice Department, and Habba has hinted at ambitions for higher roles. Since her failed New Jersey appointment, she has been largely quiet, recently moving from Bernardsville to Palm Beach, Florida, near Mar-a-Lago. The purpose of her presence at the golf club remains unclear.
Why it matters
The sighting fuels speculation about who will lead the White House press office after Leavitt's exit.
How this story developed
- Aug 11 Justice Department memo broadens executive privilege for Trump's private advisers
- Aug 13 Leavitt’s resignation was announced as a decision to focus on her family.
- Aug 14 Additional potential candidates such as Stephen Cheung, Stephen Miller and Matthew Boyle have entered the speculation.
- Aug 14 Katie Miller was taken off the list of candidates for press secretary.
- Aug 14 Spokespersons for several major tech companies declined to comment on the memo.
- Aug 14 Jen Psaki publicly criticized Leavitt, calling her a liar and alleging she avoided tough questions.
- Aug 16 Multiple senior officials, including White House counsel and a deputy national security adviser, have resigned as Leavitt prepares to leave.
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