THE White House deputy press secretary has climbed the career ladder. However, before entering politics, she began her journey on beauty pageant stages.
Anna Kelly, 28, works under Karoline Leavitt to bring updates about Donald Trump’s second presidency to the briefing room.
The deputy press secretary was raised just 35 minutes outside of Washington DC in Fairfax, Virginia.
She then moved to Alabama in 2014 to attend Auburn University, where she studied political science.
Kelly graduated from Auburn in 2017 and went on to earn her Masters of Political Management at The George Washington University.
As she worked towards her degree, Kelly competed in the 2019 Miss State Fair of Virginia, where she took home the crown.
The beauty queen ran on her platform, “End the Apathy Epidemic: Promoting Youth Political Engagement,” according to the Fairfax Times.
The political enthusiast was inspired by her outspoken family and childhood memories living just outside of the country’s capitol.
“My generation stands in an incredible position of power,” Kelly said.
“In today’s polarized political climate, it is our job to step up to the plate and work to ensure the government we receive is a good one.
“As Miss State Fair of Virginia, I aim to demonstrate to young individuals that we do possess a voice, which we should leverage,” she expressed.
In 2022, Kelly shared a post on X where she posted two pictures of her on stage at beauty pageant competitions.
“My biggest flex is that I’ve competed at the state level with two eventual Miss Americas,” she wrote.
“That’s it, that’s the tweet.”
While pursuing her Master’s degree, Kelly held the role of Wisconsin communications director for the Republican National Committee from November 2019 to November 2020.
The outspoken Republican continued ascending in the republican party as she worked as the Communications Director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.
Kelly’s love of politics and passion for political engagement eventually led her to become the Communications Director for the US House of Representatives and the National Press Secretary for the Republican National Committee.
In January, after heavy involvement in the Trump campaign, Kelly accepted a role as the deputy press secretary for The White House.
Anna Kelly’s career timeline
- 2014: Kelly began her freshman year at Auburn University majoring in political science
- 2017: Kelly graduates from Auburn
- 2018: Kelly wins the Miss State Fair of Virginia on September 22
- 2019: She began her masters degree at The George Washington University
- 2019: Kelly began working as a Wisconsin communications director for the Republican National Committee
- 2021: The beauty queen began working as a communications director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin
- 2022: She began working for the Michels for Governor campaign as a communications director
- 2023: Kelly started working as a communications director for the House of Representatives in January
- 2023: In October, Kelly started working as the national press secretary for the Republican National Committee
- 2025: The Trump administration hired Kelly to be the deputy press secretary for The White House
During an interview on The Clay Travis & Buck Saxton show, Kelly described the “exciting” time she’s having in the White House along with everyone else in the Trump administration.
“They can try to push their fake news narrative, but guess what, the approval is on our side…this is what the American people want,” she said of those trying to push fake news narratives.
“It is so exciting and, again, we’re winning every single day.
“We’re having so much fun,” she said.
