Why is Karoline Leavitt leaving the White House press secretary job?

She said she wants to spend more time with her family and believes she cannot give both her two young children and the press secretary role the constant attention they need. She described the choice as bittersweet.

What did Donald Trump say about Karoline Leavitt after she announced her departure?

Trump said he understood and respected her decision. He also said she would remain in his orbit as one of his top outside advisers and an influential voice in the Republican Party.

What is Karoline Leavitt's background before becoming White House press secretary?

She worked as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc. before joining Trump’s 2024 campaign. She also served in the White House press office during Trump’s first term and later became communications director for Rep. Elise Stefanik.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is leaving Trump administration

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Summary

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave the Trump administration at the end of the month in Washington to spend more time with her young family. Leavitt, 28, called it a bittersweet decision after returning to the podium following the birth of her second child in May. President Donald Trump said he understood and respected her choice and said she would remain an outside adviser.

Key Facts

Leavitt said she felt she could not be the best mother to her two young children while meeting the demands of the press secretary job.
Her second child, a daughter named Viviana, was born in May, and she also has a 2-year-old son.
Trump said she would become one of his top outside advisers and an influential voice within the Republican Party as he works toward the midterm elections.

By AP

Published Aug 13, 2026 8:00 am KST

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, July 23. AFP-Yonhap

WASHINGTON — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the role, will leave the Trump administration at the end of the month to spend more time with her young family.

Leavitt, 28, called it a “bittersweet decision" in a social media post Wednesday shortly after President Donald Trump announced she would be stepping down. She recently returned to the White House podium after the birth of her second child, a daughter named Viviana, in May. She also has a 2-year-old son.

“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 the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life,” Leavitt wrote.

Trump did not outline plans for who might replace her in the high-profile role. He said in a social media post of his own that her decision to leave is one “I totally understand and respect!” and indicated she would continue to play a role in his orbit.

“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,” the president wrote.

Leavitt worked as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing the general election to incumbent Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.

During Trump’s first term in office, Leavitt worked as an aide in the White House press office. She then became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik.

Leavitt briefed from the White House press room less frequently than some of her recent predecessors. Trump, who regularly engages with reporters during White House events and during his travels, primarily deployed Leavitt to Fox News and other conservative news outlets to trumpet his agenda and take shots at Democrats and the mainstream media.

Trump’s first-term press secretaries included Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who were known for quarreling with reporters. Another, Stephanie Grisham, never held a briefing. Her successor, Kayleigh McEnany, often lectured the news media during her appearances in the press briefing room.

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