Trump Weighs Ben Ferguson and Other Candidates for Press Secretary

President Donald Trump is nearing a decision on his next press secretary, with people inside his administration urging him to consider a candidate who would bring a different approach to the job.

Ben Ferguson, a conservative commentator, has been recommended to Trump by several people, according to a source close to the president. The source said Trump appears inclined to choose a man, an idea that others have also supported.

Trump wants to fill the vacancy soon and considers the press secretary an important part of his administration, the source said. A second person familiar with the discussions also said Trump is leaning toward a man and described Ferguson as a leading contender.

The last seven people to hold the position across Trump’s two terms and Joe Biden’s presidency have been women. Sean Spicer was the last man in the role, serving as Trump’s first press secretary from January to June 2017. Sarah Huckabee Sanders replaced him and is now governor of Arkansas.

Ferguson hosts the nationally syndicated radio program The Ben Ferguson Show and also appears as a political commentator on CNN. Still, Trump has not settled on him. One source said Ferguson is pursuing the position and that Trump knows about his interest, but added that the president has not committed to the idea.

Scott Jennings, a conservative CNN contributor who often appears on Newsnight with Abby Phillip and previously worked in George W. Bush’s administration, is also being considered. The source said Trump has gone back and forth on Jennings, though they doubted he would be selected.

Other names mentioned include White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, Breitbart chief Matthew Boyle and Ari Fleischer, who served as press secretary during George W. Bush’s first term. Women are also among the people being considered, though both sources said they expect the next press secretary to be a man.

Ferguson has supporters within the administration. One senior official praised his willingness to defend Trump in media appearances and said he performs better than some people already paid to speak on the president’s behalf. The official added that Ferguson’s experience could be useful as the administration faces opposition in Congress.

A second administration official described Ferguson as a skilled commentator, saying both he and Jennings regularly face hostile audiences on cable news. That official argued the next press secretary would need to communicate the administration’s record and push back against Democratic efforts to undo its agenda.

The White House has been without a press secretary since Oct. 13, when Katie Zacharia left the job at Trump’s urging after about a week. Her short tenure drew criticism over her claims of being an attorney and a brief, 14-minute press conference that was widely panned.

Zacharia had been chosen to replace Karoline Leavitt, who served as press secretary during the 2024 campaign and the first year and a half of Trump’s return to office. Leavitt resigned in August after returning from maternity leave, saying she wanted to spend more time with her growing family.