White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to Step Down at End of August

WASHINGTON — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will resign from her position at the end of August, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. Leavitt, 28, cited the need to spend more time with her young children and family after recently giving birth to her second child.

Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, describing Leavitt as “one of my most trusted aides” and “wonderful.” He stated that she is departing “so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect.” Trump added that Leavitt “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.” He praised her as having been “one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office.”

Leavitt confirmed the decision in a post on X (formerly Twitter). She described serving as press secretary for the past year and a half as “the honor and adventure of a lifetime.” She noted that welcoming a new baby while holding one of the most demanding jobs in the world had been “the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least.”

“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,” Leavitt wrote. She said President Trump had asked her to continue as a top outside advisor, and that she would “always remain a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party.”

Leavitt gave birth to her second child, a daughter named Viviana, in May 2026 with her husband, Nicholas Riccio. She also has a two-year-old son. She returned to work from maternity leave in mid-July. She became the youngest person ever to serve as White House press secretary when she took the role at the start of Trump’s second term in January 2025.

Leavitt previously worked as a press aide in Trump’s first administration, ran unsuccessfully for Congress in New Hampshire’s 1st District in 2022, and served as a spokeswoman for Trump’s 2024 campaign and transition. No successor has been named.