Kayleigh McEnany has been serving as the White House press secretary since April 2020. She is the fourth person to take on this job since President Donald Trump took office in early 2017.
McEnany quickly established herself as a more visible figure than her predecessor, Stephanie Grisham, by taking reporters’ questions during the official briefings. Grisham never held a press conference during her 10 months in the role.
McEnany is a Harvard Law graduate and former political commentator on CNN. She previously worked as a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee and as the national press secretary for the president’s re-election campaign. Her public role has also raised curiosity about her personal life. McEnany grew up in Florida with two siblings and is married with one young child.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. McEnany’s Husband, Sean Gilmartin, Is a Professional Baseball Player & the Couple Welcomed a Daughter in 2019
InstagramKayleigh McEnany and husband Sean Gilmartin
McEnany is married to professional baseball player Sean Gilmartin. They tied the knot on November 18, 2017, according to their wedding registry. McEnany shared photos from the big day, writing on Twitter, “Married the love of my life Sean Gilmartin on Saturday, and Rodrigo Varela captured it beautifully!! What an amazing photographer. Couldn’t be happier with how these turned out.”
The couple has been together since 2015 when Gilmartin was a rookie with the New York Mets. He joined the Tampa Bay Rays in February 2020 as a relief pitcher. According to CBS Sports, Gilmartin has seen more playing time at the Triple-A level than in the majors thus far in his athletic career.
Despite McEnany’s work in Washington, D.C., Tampa is still her home base. She and Gilmartin own a house on Davis Islands, a neighborhood with views of downtown Tampa. Property records show the couple purchased the 4-bedroom home in September 2017 for $650,000. The house was originally built in 1940.
Being a mom is the best thing in life. I am so blessed to have my sweet little one & I thank God for her!
A bit of a flashback, but I love & cherish this beautiful photo. I also am so grateful to have the best Mom in the world, who consistently helps me every step of the way!
Just after their second wedding anniversary, McEnany and Gilmartin welcomed a daughter, Blake Avery. McEnany later told the Tampa Bay Times that having her husband based in Tampa with the Rays was a great benefit to their family. “Having Sean with the Tampa Bay Rays is what we’ve been hoping and praying for. We always dreamed of this happening but never knew it would become a reality. With a 3-month-old and me in a different state on the campaign trail almost daily, having Sean in Tampa is incredibly helpful.”
McEnany brought baby Blake to the White House on the day of McEnany’s first official press briefing. She wrote on Facebook, “So special to share this day with my daughter, Blake. From the podium to Marine One, it is an honor to serve the American people and share the great work of President Trump! Thank you Alex Brandon for the photo & John Roberts for Blake’s first gaggle.”
2. McEnany’s Sister, Ryann, Aspired to Be a Sports Journalist & Now Works For President Trump’s Re-election Campaign
University of FloridaRyann McEnany
The youngest McEnany sibling is Ryann Jessica McEnany. She attended the University of Florida and majored in telecommunications, according to her LinkedIn profile, with a focus on education.
While on campus, Ryann was a contributing writer for a student community platform called the Odyssey. In the bio section of her page, which she published during her junior year, Ryann stated she wanted to work as a sports journalist and that writing for the site would be helpful in achieving that goal. “As a deep thinker and one with an open mind, I have always treasured the freedom that writing offers. I find myself thinking through situations, issues, and topics a bit longer than needed and discovering breakthroughs and unique ideas as a result. Holding a position as an Odyssey writer would not only be the perfect building block for my future goal, but it would most importantly allow me to share and connect my experiences as a student-athlete to my fellow colleagues.”
Ryann was on the track team at the University of Florida from 2013-2017, according to her athlete profile. She ran the 60-meter and 100-meter hurdles. Ryann was also ranked #7 on UF’s “All-Time Top 10” list for the 60-meter hurdles with a personal record of 8.40 seconds.
FacebookWH Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany and sister Ryann McEnany
After earning her bachelor’s degree, Ryann stayed in Gainesville for a master’s degree in sports management. But after graduate school, Ryann set aside her intended career path for work in politics. She interned with the Republican National Committee in the digital department during the summer of 2018 before moving on to an internship at the White House. Ryann then joined the Trump re-election campaign in February 2019 as a social media coordinator.
In April 2019, Ryann praised her older sister for becoming the White House press secretary. Ryann wrote on Facebook, “I couldn’t be more proud of my sister and best friend for becoming The White House Press Secretary! There’s truly no better President to serve under – what an honor!”
3. McEnany’s Brother, Michael, Is a Resident Physician at the University of New Mexico
FacebookKayleigh McEnany and her brother, Michael
Michael McEnany is the sibling who did not choose to pursue a career in politics or media. He instead entered the medical field. He attended Wakeforest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for both his undergraduate degree and medical school.
Like younger sister Ryann, Michael was also a collegiate runner. He was a sprinter on the track team at Wake Forest, with a personal best of 51.16 seconds on the 400-meter run. On his student-athlete bio, Michael shared that he won a state championship in high school, his favorite food was lobster tail and Taylor Swift was his celebrity crush.
Michael earned his bachelor’s degree in 2013. According to his LinkedIn profile, he took two years off before returning to school for his medical degree. He coached middle school track athletes and worked as an emergency medical technician in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Michael returned to school in 2015 and graduated in 2019.
Michael has since relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to the New Mexico Medical Board, he is a licensed resident at the University of New Mexico. He does not post on Facebook often, but photos from his Facebook page suggest he enjoys hiking and rock climbing.
4. McEnany & Her Husband Live Less Than Two Miles Away From Her Parents In Tampa
GettyWhite House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany holds her five-month-old daughter Blake Gilmartin while posing for photographs with her parents Mike and Leanne McEnany and younger sister Ryann McEnany on May 1, 2020.
McEnany and Gilmartin live very close to her family in Tampa. Property records for Hillsborough County show her parents, Michael and Leanne McEnany, live about a mile and a half away on Davis Islands. The McEnanys purchased their property in 2001 for more than $1.5 million. The house, which has more than 7,400 square feet of living space, was built in 2004.
Kaleigh McEnany’s father was a collegiate athlete. He played football at Mississippi State as a walk-on from 1979 to 1982.
He founded his construction company, McEnany Roofing, in 1985. The company lists Tampa General Hospital and “many Central Florida Theme Parks and Resorts” as previous clients on its website.
Mike and Leann McEnany supported their daughter on the day of her first official press briefing at the White House. They posed for photos alongside daughters Kayleigh and Ryann and granddaughter Blake behind the podium.
5. The McEnany Siblings Attended Catholic High Schools In Tampa
Getty White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany
Kayleigh McEnany and sister Ryann attended an all-girls Catholic school in Tampa, Florida, for their primary education. They were enrolled at Academy of the Holy Names while their brother, Michael, attended the all-boys Jesuit High School.
Kayleigh McEnany graduated from the Academy of the Holy Names in 2006. McEnany’s alma mater acknowledged her in a congratulatory Facebook post when she was promoted to White House press secretary.
After earning her high school diploma, McEnany moved to Washington, D.C., to attend Georgetown University. She later worked as a producer for Huckabee before enrolling at the University of Miami School of Law. McEnany transferred to Harvard and graduated in 2016.
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