White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is set to leave her position at the end of August, with President Donald Trump saying she is stepping down to devote more time to her family.
Trump announced Leavitt’s departure in a post on Truth Social on August 12, describing the 28-year-old official as “one of my most trusted aides” and praising her performance during her time at the White House.
“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!” Trump said.
Leavitt, who made history as the youngest person to serve as a White House press secretary, has held the position throughout Trump’s second administration. Her tenure has been marked by an assertive and confrontational style during press briefings.
Trump said he respected Leavitt’s decision and indicated that she would remain involved as an outside adviser and continue to have influence within the Republican Party.
Leavitt recently resumed her duties after taking maternity leave following the birth of her daughter, Viviana, in May. She and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, also have a two-year-old son, Nicholas, known as “Niko”.
In a statement announcing her departure, Leavitt described her time as press secretary as a major honour but acknowledged the difficulty of balancing the demanding position with raising two young children.
“Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime,” she said, thanking Trump for giving her the opportunity to represent his administration from the White House podium.
Leavitt said motherhood had made her reconsider whether she could continue meeting the demands of the position while giving her children the attention they need.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
Trump has not announced who will succeed Leavitt in the high-profile communications role.
Before becoming press secretary, Leavitt worked as a communications aide during Trump’s first administration. She later ran unsuccessfully for Congress in New Hampshire as a Republican in 2022.
Her departure represents one of the more notable changes among Trump’s senior White House officials during his second term, which has so far experienced less turnover than his first administration.
During his first term, Trump had four press secretaries — Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham and Kayleigh McEnany.
When Leavitt leaves at the end of August, she will have served as Trump’s second-longest-serving press secretary, behind Sanders.
