White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will step down from her role by the end of August, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday, marking one of the most notable exits from his second-term administration with the midterm elections just months away.
Trump broke the news in a social media post, describing Leavitt as one of his most trusted aides who would be leaving to focus on her young family, a decision the president said he understood and respected.
He added that she would go on to become one of his top outside advisors and help the Republican Party in its push to win the November midterms.
Leavitt, 28, confirmed the departure shortly after in her own social media post, calling it a difficult but necessary choice.
She explained that since returning from parental leave after the birth of her second child, she had come to feel that she could not fully show up for her children while also carrying the round-the-clock demands of the press secretary job, and so she had reached what she described as a bittersweet decision to leave the White House and start a new chapter in her life.
Leavitt gave birth to her daughter, Viviana, on May 1, and only returned to the briefing room podium on July 16 after several Cabinet secretaries had filled in during her leave. She also has a two-year-old son with her husband, real estate developer Nicholas Riccio.
Reflecting on her tenure, Leavitt thanked Trump for the opportunity to represent the administration from the West Wing and the briefing room, calling the job the honor and adventure of a lifetime and saying she was especially grateful for the chance to speak on the president’s behalf during her time at the podium.
Leavitt made history as the youngest White House press secretary ever when she took the podium at the start of Trump’s second term in January 2025. Throughout her time in the role, she was known for a combative approach with reporters, frequently criticizing outlets she viewed as biased, and she briefed from the podium less often than some of her predecessors, with Trump instead often sending her to friendly cable outlets to promote his agenda.
Her exit continues a string of high-profile departures of women from senior posts in the administration this year, and it comes at a sensitive moment for Trump’s press operation, with Republicans bracing for a tough midterm fight. Neither Trump nor Leavitt has named a successor, leaving open one of the most visible communications jobs in Washington.
Leavitt’s relationship with Trump appeared close throughout her tenure. During a White House meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán last November, Trump jokingly warned her not to leave his team after Orbán suggested she come work for him, telling her directly not to leave.
While the specifics of her advisory role have not been detailed, Trump indicated she would remain influential within the party’s midterm strategy, effectively keeping her in his orbit even after she exits the official West Wing staff.
Her departure adds another storyline to a summer already marked by shifting personnel across the administration, as Trump continues to reshape his team ahead of what he has cast as a pivotal set of elections in November.
