Karoline Leavitt will leave her role as White House press secretary at the end of the month to prioritise her family, United States President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on Wednesday.
Trump said Leavitt would remain one of his top outside advisers and an influential voice in the Republican Party. He also said she would continue serving his administration as Republicans seek to win the midterm elections in November.
Departure follows maternity leave
Leavitt stepped away from her duties in late April after she and her spouse, Nicholas Riccio, welcomed their second child, a daughter named Viviana, in early May.
The 27-year-old returned to the White House podium for her first formal news briefing in mid-July. Trump described her as one of the best press secretaries in the history of the office.
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A rapid rise in Trump’s political circle
Leavitt began working in Trump’s first administration as an intern in the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence and became an assistant press secretary by January 2021. She later worked in communications for MAGA Inc and served as the primary spokesperson for Trump’s 2024 campaign.
After Trump’s inauguration in 2025, Leavitt became the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary, taking the role at age 27. She had previously won the Republican primary for New Hampshire’s first congressional district but lost the 2022 midterm election to incumbent Democrat Chris Pappas.
Changes to the White House briefing room
Leavitt frequently clashed with reporters during briefings and expanded access for bloggers and social media influencers, allowing a “new media” representative to ask the first question on some days. She said the approach reflected Trump’s campaign use of podcasts and other nontraditional media.
More context: Court says Congress must approve Trump’s White House ballroom.
Her tenure also coincided with disputes over journalists’ access to the executive branch. Press freedom advocates criticised White House restrictions, including a rule announced last October limiting reporters’ access to Leavitt’s office and an attempt to exclude members of The Associated Press from some presidential events.
Also read: Rights groups challenge Trump administration’s ICC sanctions.
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