White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has announced that she will leave the Trump administration at the end of August to focus on her young family, bringing her tenure as one of the most prominent voices of the administration to an end.
Leavitt, 28, announced her decision on Wednesday after President Donald Trump confirmed that she would be stepping down from the high-profile position.
The White House press secretary, who recently returned to the podium following the birth of her second child in May, described her decision as “bittersweet.”
Leavitt said returning to the White House after the birth of her daughter made her realise that she could not give her two young children the time and attention they deserve while meeting the demanding responsibilities of the press secretary’s office.
Leavitt and her husband have two children, including their daughter, Viviana, born in May, and a two-year-old son.
Trump said he understood and respected Leavitt’s decision, while indicating that she would remain involved in his political activities.
He said Leavitt would become one of his top outside advisers and remain an influential voice within the Republican Party as his administration works towards the midterm elections.
Trump did not immediately announce who would succeed Leavitt as White House press secretary.
Leavitt became the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary when she took the position in Trump’s second administration. She had previously worked in the White House press office during Trump’s first term.
Before joining Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, she served as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a political action committee supporting Trump.
Leavitt also sought elected office in New Hampshire in 2022, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing the general election to Democratic incumbent Chris Pappas.
After her first White House stint, she served as communications director for Republican Representative Elise Stefanik of New York.
During her tenure as press secretary, Leavitt held fewer formal White House briefings than some of her predecessors, while Trump frequently engaged directly with reporters during White House events and presidential travel.
She was also regularly deployed to conservative media outlets, including Fox News, where she promoted the administration’s agenda and criticised Democrats and mainstream media organisations.
Leavitt’s departure adds her name to the list of Trump press secretaries who have attracted significant attention through their interactions with journalists, including Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
For Leavitt, however, the decision marks a new chapter centred on her family, while Trump has indicated that she will continue to play a role in his political activities from outside the White House.
