New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia holds her first press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, US, October 13, 2026.
Kalshi bettors are placing their picks for the next White House press secretary, and one of the names is not well known. Prediction markets on Tuesday predict deputy press secretary Anna Kelly as the frontrunner. CNN’s MAGA commentator Scott Jennings trails not too far behind, and the wildcard who comes in third is former model and Republican Party spokesperson Elizabeth Pipko.
The three names floating around are not new. They were initially guessed as potential replacements this summer when Karoline Leavitt exited. The names resurfaced in the wake of Katie Zacharia’s firing after just five days on the job. Jennings was reported to be the favorite and the preferred candidate of Trump’s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
Zacharia’s firing came after controversy following her inaugural press conference, where she struggled to answer questions from reporters, and she misled the public about her credentials as a lawyer, having never passed the bar in the U.S. She was reportedly not properly vetted for the role, with Trump reportedly not seeking counsel about the hire from Wiles. Trump was reportedly stunned and embarrassed by Zacharia’s performance, considering her to be an amateur.
Kelly is seemingly the successor who would be a seamless transition, as she joined the press team in January 2025 as Leavitt’s deputy. She was later promoted to principal deputy but was passed over for the top job in favor of Zacharia. Kelly is a former beauty queen and regularly appears on Fox News.
Jennings has been a fierce supporter of Trump in his commentary. He has worked in the political sphere, previously serving as communications director for George W. Bush and Sen. Mitch McConnell. Trump has publicly boasted of Jennings, referring to his work as “great.”
Pipko, another former model, was signed by Wilhelmina Models at 17. She has ties to Trump, having worked on his 2016 presidential campaign. Pipko is also a frequent contributor on Fox News. She comes from a family of Trump supporters as well. Her husband, Darren Centinello, was a former staffer for Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns. Her father, Roman Pipko, is U.S. ambassador to Estonia.
Trump has raved about Pipko publicly, saying during the 2025 Hanukkah celebration at the White House, “She’s a beautiful woman inside and out.” At the same event, Pipko praised Trump, calling him “the greatest president this world has ever seen” and saying she is “grateful” to him for “so many things.” She's also said that Trump is a leader who relies on "common sense." When appearing on Fox in September, she defended Trump's UN warnings regarding Iran's nuclear threat.