Karoline Leavitt to step down as White House press secretary

Karoline Leavitt is preparing to walk away from one of the most visible and demanding jobs in American politics, with Donald Trump announcing that his White House press secretary will leave the role at the end of August.

At just 28, Leavitt made history when she reportedly became the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary. Now, after returning from maternity leave only last month, she says the demands of the job have forced her to make a deeply personal choice.

US President Donald Trump announced her departure on social media, describing Leavitt as one of his ‘most trusted aides’ and saying he understood and respected her decision to spend more time with her family. He also made it clear that her departure will not mean an end to her political influence.

The best @PressSec. Thank you, Karoline! ❤️🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/52HQYYuL0y

The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 12, 2026

‘Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors,’ Trump said, adding that she would remain an influential voice within the Republican Party.

Reportedly, Leavitt welcomed her second child, daughter Viviana, in May. She and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, also have a two-year-old son. Her decision comes after experiencing the reality of combining motherhood with a job that demands constant attention, travel, preparation and a near-permanent presence in the political news cycle.

In her response to Trump’s announcement, Leavitt described the role as ‘the honor and adventure of a lifetime’.

Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime. I am incredibly grateful to President Trump for granting me so many extraordinary opportunities, such as working in the West Wing and spending countless hours… https://t.co/4jyW61DGGh pic.twitter.com/xny1yccuBn

Karoline Leavitt (@karolineleavitt) August 12, 2026

But she was equally candid about the difficulty of returning to the White House after giving birth. She said she had realised that she could not be the mother her two young children deserved while also giving the press secretary’s job the level of time and energy it requires.

That makes her exit more than another Washington personnel change. It also highlights the enormous personal demands placed on people working at the centre of US politics, particularly those expected to be available and camera-ready through political crises, major announcements and relentless media scrutiny.

Although Leavitt is leaving the White House briefing room, Trump has indicated that her political career is nowhere near finished.

Her relationship with Trump stretches back years. She worked in his first administration as an assistant press secretary and speechwriter before becoming communications director for Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.

She later ran unsuccessfully for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022 after winning a competitive Republican primary. Leavitt subsequently worked as a spokesperson for pro-Trump fundraising group MAGA Inc before becoming national press secretary for Trump’s 2024 campaign.

For now, there is no confirmed replacement. Leavitt is the second-longest-serving press secretary across Trump’s two administrations, behind former press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Trump had four press secretaries during his first term:

• Sean Spicer
• Sarah Huckabee Sanders
• Stephanie Grisham
• Kayleigh McEnany

Each of these former secretaries went on to carve out a different path after leaving the White House.

During Leavitt’s roughly seven-week maternity leave earlier this year, senior administration figures including Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stepped behind the podium. That experience could offer Trump several possible options, but no successor has been announced.

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Featured Image: @karolineleavitt / X