President Donald Trump announced on August 12, 2026, that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her role by the end of August, calling her one of his most trusted aides and saying she will transition into a top outside advisory position as he looks toward the midterm elections.
Leavitt, 28, became the youngest person ever to serve as White House press secretary when Trump returned to office in January 2025. Her departure, confirmed by both Trump and Leavitt through separate social media posts, comes less than a month after she returned to the White House following the birth of her second child, a daughter named Viviana, on May 1, 2026.
A ‘Bittersweet Decision’ After New Arrival
Leavitt said the challenge of juggling motherhood alongside one of Washington’s most high-profile and taxing jobs drove her decision to leave. She took maternity leave after giving birth and returned to the briefing room podium on July 16, 2026. After returning, she realized she could not devote herself fully to both her 2-year-old son and her newborn daughter — and the relentless requirements of serving as press secretary. Her husband is Nicholas Riccio.
Leavitt described in a post on X how balancing motherhood with her newborn daughter and the intense demands of serving as press secretary had been extraordinarily fulfilling yet difficult.
Leavitt described her choice to step down as “bittersweet.” She will not be leaving politics, according to Leavitt, who said Trump asked her to stay on as a top outside advisor and that she intends to remain an outspoken advocate for the MAGA movement and the Republican Party. “My fight is entering a new phase, but it is far from over,” she added.
Trump Praises a Loyal Spokesperson
Trump praised Leavitt’s loyalty and skill as a spokesperson, saying he supported her decision and planned to keep her involved. “Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, adding that he envisions her helping the party win the upcoming midterm elections.
Conservative commentator and Fox host Riley Gaines praised Leavitt’s performance in the role. “Karoline Leavitt is so good at her job,” Gaines wrote.
A Career Built Around Trump’s World
Leavitt’s route to the briefing room led through nearly every facet of Trump’s political ecosystem. She first served in the White House press office during Trump’s initial term, then became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik. In 2022, she mounted a congressional campaign in New Hampshire, prevailing in a competitive Republican primary before falling to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas in the general election. Afterward, she worked as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump fundraising group, before signing on as national press secretary for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
Her time as press secretary was defined by a combative approach toward the mainstream press. In February 2025, her office took control of organizing the White House press pool away from the White House Correspondents’ Association and initially blocked the Associated Press from briefings after the outlet refused to adopt the term “Gulf of America” in its coverage. Supporters credited her with maintaining unwavering discipline in messaging and forcefully defending administration policies under hostile questioning.
A Historic Run, and What Comes Next
Leavitt’s exit will close a noteworthy chapter. She ranks as the second longest-serving press secretary across both of Trump’s terms, behind only Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who occupied the position during Trump’s first administration. Trump cycled through four press secretaries during that initial term, which spanned January 2017 to January 2021, meaning Leavitt will be counted as the sixth chief spokesperson across his two administrations.
No successor has been publicly identified. As of the announcement on August 12, 2026, it remained unclear who would assume the podium duties when Leavitt departs at month’s end. Leavitt said she remains grateful for the opportunity the role provided and signaled she has no plans to retreat from public engagement. “Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime,” she wrote.