White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has announced that she will leave the Trump administration at the end of August, saying the demanding nature of her job has made it difficult to give her two young children the attention they deserve.
Leavitt, 28, said the decision was “bittersweet,” explaining that since returning to the White House after the birth of her second child, she had realised she could not simultaneously meet the intense demands of the press secretary position and be the mother she wants to be.
She returned to work in July following maternity leave after giving birth to her daughter, Viviana, in May. She also has a two-year-old son.
President Donald Trump confirmed her departure and praised Leavitt as one of his most trusted aides. He said she would remain involved as an outside adviser and continue to have an influential role within the Republican Party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Leavitt became the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary when she took the position in January 2025. During her tenure, she became known for her combative exchanges with journalists and her forceful defence of Trump and his administration.
Her departure is expected to leave the White House without an immediate permanent replacement, with senior administration officials likely to handle press briefings in the interim.
