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

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is set to leave her post at the end of August, President Donald Trump announced in a Truth Social post on Wednesday, bringing to a close an 18-month tenure that made her the youngest person ever to hold the role.

Trump said Leavitt, 28, had been "one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office," and that she would remain close to the administration as "one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party," as the party works toward the November midterm elections.

A Family Decision
Leavitt's departure follows the birth of her second child, a daughter named Viviana, on May 1. She had stepped away from her podium duties in late April for maternity leave, returning for her first formal briefing in mid-July.

In a statement posted on X, Leavitt said serving as press secretary while raising two young children had been "the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life." She added: "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".

She is married to real estate developer Nicholas Riccio; the couple's first child, a son named Niko, was born in July 2024, just days before Leavitt returned to work following the first assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania .

A Fiercely Loyal Voice
Leavitt joined Trump's political operation early, first serving as an intern in the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence during his first term. She later worked as a spokesperson for the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc. before becoming national press secretary for his 2024 presidential campaign.

Between Trump's two terms, Leavitt made an unsuccessful run for a US House seat in New Hampshire in 2022, losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.

Since taking the podium at the start of Trump's second term in January 2025, Leavitt became known for her combative class and sharp exchanges with reporters, defending the administration through a string of controversies, including the Signalgate scandal, the release of the Epstein files, and the Iran war.

At just over 18 months, her tenure is the second-longest of any press secretary in Trump's two terms, behind only Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served nearly two years during Trump's first term and is now governor of Arkansas. None of Trump's other press secretaries Sean Spicer, Stephanie Grisham, and Kayleigh McEnany lasted a full year in the role.

Part of a Wider Reshuffle
Leavitt's exit adds to a string of departures among senior Trump administration officials this year. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem were both fired, while former Secretary of Labour Lori Chavez-DeRemer and acting ICE head Todd Lyon resigned amid scrutiny of their leadership.

It remains unclear who will replace Leavitt as White House press secretary.

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References
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TIME, "Karoline Leavitt to Step Down as White House Press Secretary" https://time.com/article/2026/08/12/Karoline-Leavitt-to-step-down-white-house-press-secretary-Donald-Trump/

CNN, "Karoline Leavitt steps down as White House Press Secretary" https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/12/politics/video/karoline-leavitt-steps-down-as-white-house-press-secretary-digvid

Axios, "Karoline Leavitt stepping down as White House press secretary” https://www.axios.com/2026/08/12/trump-karoline-leavitt-white-house-press

Al Jazeera, "Karoline Leavitt to step down as White House press secretary, Trump says" https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/12/trump-reveals-karoline-leavitt-to-step-down-as-white-house-press-secretary

NBC News, "Karoline Leavitt to step down as White House press secretary at end of month" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/press-secretary-karoline-leavitt-step-down-end-of-august-rcna592223

CNBC, "Trump says Karoline Leavitt resigning as White House press secretary” https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/12/trump-white-house-karoline-leavitt-resigning-.html

The Washington Post, "White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to leave administration" https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/08/12/white-house-press-secretary-karoline-leavitt-leave-administration/

TIME, "Karoline Leavitt's Most Memorable Moments as White House Press Secretary" https://time.com/article/2026/08/12/karoline-leavitt-white-house-press-secretary-memorable-moments/

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