White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her position at the end of August to focus on raising her young family, President Trump announced Tuesday, while revealing that she will continue serving as one of his closest outside advisers ahead of the midterm elections.
Leavitt, 28, became the youngest person ever to serve as White House press secretary. A mother of two, she welcomed her daughter, Viviana, in May and returned to work from maternity leave only last month.
President Trump praised Leavitt as “one of my most trusted aides.”
Announcing her transition on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party, as we work to defy History, and conclusively win the Midterm Elections.”
He also commended her years of service, writing, “Karoline has been a real leader in the White House, and has done a phenomenal job fighting for Justice, Liberty, and Freedom, since 2018, including our Historic Re-Election Campaign of 2024.”
Trump concluded his tribute by declaring, “Karoline has been one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office.”
Leavitt first joined the Trump administration as a White House intern before launching an unsuccessful campaign for Congress in New Hampshire during the 2022 midterm elections. She later became a key spokeswoman during President Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
During that campaign, Leavitt gave birth to her first child, Niko. Just three days later, President Trump survived an assassination attempt after being shot during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
She also made history as the first White House press secretary to have a child while serving in the role. The demanding position has traditionally been associated with rapid turnover, with most recent press secretaries serving between roughly 18 months and nearly three years. During President Trump’s first administration, four different individuals held the post.
Reflecting on her tenure, Leavitt described serving as press secretary as “the honor and adventure of a lifetime” and thanked President Trump for the opportunity.
“I have spoken with great pride about the many historic accomplishments of this Administration, and I have relished holding the liberal media accountable and ensuring the American people hear the truth about President Trump’s successes,” she said in a statement.
She explained that her decision was driven by family priorities, saying, “The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary — and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart.”
Leavitt emphasized that she plans to remain active in conservative politics, pledging to “always remain a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party” while warning that the “country is facing an existential threat from an increasingly extremist Democrat Party.”
Throughout her tenure, Leavitt adopted a more confrontational approach toward the media than many of her predecessors, frequently challenging news organizations over their reporting on President Trump and his administration.
She also introduced a new rotating seat in the White House briefing room reserved for independent reporters, podcasters, and online content creators, expanding opportunities for nontraditional media outlets to participate in daily press briefings.
President Trump has repeatedly praised Leavitt throughout her time in office, previously calling her a “star” and remarking, “I don’t think anybody has ever had a better press secretary than Karoline.”
