Washington — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will step down from her post at the end of August and move into a role as a senior outside adviser, President Trump announced Wednesday on Truth Social.
Mr. Trump said Leavitt is leaving the West Wing to devote more time to her family. Leavitt gave birth to a baby girl, her second child, in May and had only recently returned to her White House duties.
“Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trusted aides, Karoline Leavitt, will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect!” Mr. 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 went on to praise her work in the administration and in Republican politics. “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,” he continued. “Karoline has been one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office. Thank you, Karoline, for a job well done!”
AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
The White House has not yet announced who will replace Leavitt as press secretary, nor has it said who may handle the podium on an interim basis. Her departure comes with less than three months to go before the midterm elections.
Leavitt has served as White House press secretary since the start of Mr. Trump’s second term. In response to the announcement, she thanked the president for giving her the opportunity to serve in one of the administration’s most visible roles.
“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. “President Trump has asked me to continue serving as a top advisor to him on the outside, and I will always remain a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party.”
Leavitt, now 28, was 27 when she took the job, making her the youngest White House press secretary in U.S. history.
