White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who became the youngest person to assume the role, will leave her role later this month, US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday. Leavitt described the move as a “bittersweet decision” in a social media post shortly after Trump’s announcement.
Notably, Leavitt has served as press secretary since Trump returned to office in 2025. She recently welcomed her second child.
Why is Karoline Leavitt leaving?
In both her and Trump’s social media posts, the reason cited for Leavitt’s departure was that she wanted to spend more time with her family.
“Karoline Leavitt will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect,” Trump wrote.
Leavitt said that balancing motherhood while working in “one of the world’s most demanding jobs” had been the most rewarding yet challenging period of her life.
“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 added.
‘Real leader’, says Trump on Karoline Leavitt
Trump did not say who could take over the high-profile position. In his own social media post, he said he “totally understand[s] and respect[s]” her decision to leave, while suggesting that she would remain involved with his circle.
“Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party, as we work to defy History, and conclusively win the Midterm Elections,” the president wrote.
He also called her “one of his most trusted aides” and a “real leader”, as he called her one of the best White House press secretaries in the history of the office.
“Karoline has been a real leader in the White House, and has done a phenomenal job fighting for Justice, Liberty, and Freedom, since 2018, including our Historic Re-Election Campaign of 2024,” he wrote.
About Karoline Leavitt
In May, Leavitt announced that she had welcomed her second child, a daughter named Viviana.
The birth came days after she postponed her maternity leave following an alleged assassination attempt on Trump, when a gunman tried to storm the White House correspondents’ dinner.
Leavitt became the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary when she took up the post last year.
She had earlier worked as a junior spokesperson during Trump’s first term and later became a leading spokeswoman for his 2024 campaign, after an unsuccessful run for Congress in New Hampshire during the 2022 election cycle.
