Karoline Leavitt Stepping Down as White House Press Secretary to Focus on Family

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will step down from her post at the end of the month to prioritize spending time with her two young children, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social.

Leavitt, who became the youngest person to ever hold the position when she assumed office at 27, returned to the briefing room last month following maternity leave. She and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, welcomed their second child, Viviana, in May.

In his announcement, President Trump praised Leavitt's tenure and confirmed that she would transition into an external advisory role as the Republican Party prepares for upcoming midterm elections.

"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," Trump posted, adding: "Karoline has been one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office."

Addressing her decision, Leavitt shared a statement outlining her reasons for stepping away from the demanding position:

"Being a mother and welcoming a new baby while working in one of the most demanding jobs in the world has been the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least," she wrote.

"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 - and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life," she continued, noting that her time in office was "the honor and adventure of a lifetime."

A Rapid Political Rise

Leavitt has been a fixture in Trump's political orbit for years, building a multi-stage career across government and campaign roles.

Throughout her time at the podium, Leavitt maintained a firm, combative stance with journalists while criticizing traditional news outlets for perceived bias.

"I think it's insulting that you're trying to test my knowledge of economics and the decisions that this president has made," she told an Associated Press reporter early in her tenure.

Under her direction, the press office opened briefings to digital content creators, assigning the first question to a "new media chair."

"In keeping with this revolutionary media approach that President Trump deployed during the campaign, the Trump White House will speak to all media outlets and personalities, not just the legacy media who are seated in this room," she stated during her first formal news conference.

Her tenure also drew criticism from press freedom advocates over access restrictions, including a dispute where the administration attempted to bar Associated Press journalists from specific events after the agency declined to adopt the term "Gulf of America" in place of "Gulf of Mexico."

The White House has not yet announced a successor. During Leavitt's seven-week maternity leave earlier this year, press briefings were temporarily handled by senior officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.