Karoline Leavitt is leaving the White House.
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that his press secretary will step down from her post at the end of the month, marking a surprise departure for one of the most visible and combative members of his administration.
Trump broke the news in a Truth Social post, praising Leavitt as his “wonderful White House Press Secretary” and one of his “most trusted aides.”
“Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trusted aides, 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,” Trump wrote, adding that it was a decision he “totally understand[s] and respect[s].”
But Leavitt isn’t exactly disappearing from Trump world.
Trump said she will continue working as one of his “top outside” advisers and will remain an influential voice in the Republican Party as the midterm elections approach.
Leavitt confirmed the decision in a post on X, describing her time as press secretary as “the honor and adventure of a lifetime.”
But she said becoming a mother for the second time changed the equation.
“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,” Leavitt wrote.
She called the decision “bittersweet” and said she was ready to begin a new chapter.
Politically, however, Leavitt isn’t going anywhere.
She pledged to remain a vocal supporter of Trump, MAGA and the Republican Party, saying the president had asked her to continue serving as an outside adviser heading into the midterms.
“Our country is facing an existential threat from an increasingly extremist Democrat Party that seeks to destroy everything great about America,” Leavitt wrote. “My fight is entering a new phase, but it is far from over.”
Leavitt has been one of the most recognizable faces of the Trump administration, particularly during the often-combative White House press briefings.
Her relationship with Trump goes back years.
She served as an assistant press secretary during Trump’s first administration from 2019 to 2021. After Trump left office, she became communications director for Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.
In 2022, Leavitt launched a campaign for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District. She won the Republican nomination but ultimately lost to Democratic incumbent Chris Pappas.
She later joined Trump’s political operation, becoming a spokesperson for his super PAC MAGA Inc. before moving onto his 2024 presidential campaign.
After Trump won, he selected Leavitt to become his press secretary.
At just 27 years old, she became the youngest person ever to hold the position.
She quickly developed a reputation for an aggressive liar, unapologetically pro-Trump style at the briefing room podium and became an important part of Trump’s inner circle.
Leavitt also made history in 2025 when she announced she was pregnant with her second child, becoming the first sitting White House press secretary to serve while pregnant.
She went on maternity leave in May and returned to the podium in July.
Now, just weeks after returning, she’s preparing to leave the White House again.
Officially, Leavitt says the reason is family.
But politically, she’s not walking away from Trump. She’s simply moving outside the building.
