Karoline Leavitt to Leave White House Press Secretary Role, Trump Says

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is set to leave her position at the end of August, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, in a major change to the communications team at the White House.

Trump said Leavitt, 28, is stepping away from the high-pressure position to spend more time with her young family. However, her departure from the White House press podium will not mark the end of her political involvement with the Trump administration.

In announcing her exit, Trump described Leavitt as one of his most trusted aides and said she would become one of his top outside advisers and remain an influential voice within the Republican Party as his administration prepares for the 2026 midterm elections.

Leavitt, who recently returned from maternity leave following the birth of her second child, daughter Viviana, in May, said the demands of the press secretary’s office had made it increasingly difficult to balance her responsibilities at the White House with motherhood.

She said she wanted to be fully present for her two young children while acknowledging the enormous time, energy and attention required to serve as the president’s principal spokesperson.

Her decision brings an unexpected change to a position she has held since January 2025 and which made her the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary.

Leavitt’s political relationship with Trump dates back to 2018, when she began working in the White House as an intern in the Office of Presidential Correspondence during Trump’s first administration.

She later served as communications director for Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and launched an unsuccessful congressional campaign in New Hampshire. Following that defeat, she joined Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, first working as a spokesperson for his MAGA Inc. super PAC before becoming national press secretary for his campaign in January 2024.

After Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, Leavitt became the face of his administration in its daily dealings with journalists.

Her tenure was marked by an aggressive communications style and a close alignment with Trump’s political messaging. She also became a prominent figure in the administration’s broader effort to expand access to White House briefings beyond traditional media outlets.

With Leavitt preparing to leave, attention will now turn to who Trump chooses to replace her. The White House has yet to announce her successor.

While her departure represents a significant change in the White House communications operation, Trump’s decision to retain her as an outside adviser suggests that Leavitt’s political influence is likely to continue.

Her next chapter could therefore take her away from the daily pressures of the White House briefing room while keeping her firmly within Trump’s political orbit ahead of the crucial midterm elections.