Kayleigh McEnany
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Kayleigh McEnany, a spokesperson for President Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign, is replacing Stephanie Grisham as the White House press secretary, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.McEnany, 31, is an outspoken, combative defender of the president who gained recognition during the 2016 election for frequently appearing as a Trump surrogate on cable news networks. Since endorsing Trump in early 2016, McEnany has been a right-wing talking head on CNN, hosted Trump TV, served as the Republican National Committee’s spokeswoman, and been a spokeswoman for Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign. Here’s what we know about McEnany’s rise. Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Kayleigh McEnany, a spokesperson for President Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign, is replacing Stephanie Grisham as the White House press secretary, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.McEnany, 31, is an outspoken, combative defender of the president who gained recognition during the 2016 election for frequently appearing as a Trump surrogate on cable news networks. She’ll be Trump’s fourth press secretary in under four years, succeeding Stephanie Grisham, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and Sean Spicer in a communications office that has experienced near-constant turnover.McEnany drew early attention as a right-wing talking head at CNN, where she got into more than a few heated exchanges with other personalities like New York Times columnist Charles Blow and CNN host Van Jones. She’s since hosted Trump TV, served as the Republican National Committee’s spokeswoman, and been a spokeswoman for Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign.Most recently, she made waves by falsely claiming on February 25 that “we will not see diseases like the coronavirus come here” because of Trump’s leadership. This was a day after US federal health officials announced it wasn’t a matter of if, but when and how severe the coronavirus outbreak would be in the US.
Here’s what we know about McEnany:
McEnany was born in 1988 and grew up in Florida, where she attended the Academy of the Holy Names, a private Catholic school for girls.
—Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) March 25, 2017
She received a Bachelor’s of Science in international politics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and also spent a year studying at Oxford University in the UK.
McEnany and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
Getty
Source: Georgetown University
She interned for a number of high-ranking politicians, including former President George W. Bush. McEnany volunteered for the Bush reelection campaign as a high school sophomore in 2004.
Former President George W. Bush at the Ronald Reagan Library.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Source: University of Miami School of Law
She went on to intern in Bush’s White House communications office, and once escorted quarterback Eli Manning to the Oval Office.
President Bush takes a handoff from Super Bowl XLII most valuable player, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning on the South lawn of the White House.
AP Photo/Ron Edmonds
Source: University of Miami School of Law
After graduating from Georgetown in 2010, McEnany worked as a producer on former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee’s TV show.
Republican presidential candidate, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee speaks at Inspired Grounds Cafe, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Associated Press/Kiichiro Sato
Source: University of Miami School of Law
She worked her way up the network ladder, appearing more frequently as a conservative pundit on more popular shows over the years. The first appearance she posted on her Facebook page was on Fox News in 2011.
Source: Facebook
McEnany announced her support for then-Republican presidential candidate Trump in February 2016. Trump clinched the party’s nomination that May, when his last opponent, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, dropped out of the Republican primary.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
McEnany also went to law school after finishing her undergraduate work. She started out at the University of Miami School of Law and eventually transferred to Harvard Law School, graduating with a J.D. in May 2016.
In July 2016, McEnany got engaged to St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sean Gilmartin.
—Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) January 1, 2017
Throughout her tenure at CNN, McEnany became known for her contentious spats with multiple personalities and guests. In February, she had a heated exchange with New York Times columnist Charles Blow on “CNN Tonight with Don Lemon.”
“I am excited to be joining the RNC at such an important and historic time in our country,” she said in a press release. “I’m eager to talk about Republican ideas and values and have important discussions about issues affecting Americans across this country.”
—GOP (@GOP) August 7, 2017
McEnany was ridiculed by critics for claiming that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s June 2018 victory over then-Rep. Joe Crowley in their Democratic primary was evidence of a “red tsunami.” Characteristic of McEnany, she refused to concede her error and instead insisted democratic socialist’s win was evidence of a GOP resurgence.
— Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) June 27, 2018
