White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, one of the most visible members of President Donald Trump's team in his second term, will be exiting her role shortly. Known for her staunch defense of the president, his initiatives, and MAGA ideology, Leavitt also notched a couple of key firsts, per People. She was the youngest person ever to serve in that capacity. (Leavitt turns 29 on August 24.) Also, she is the first White House press secretary to be pregnant while in the role.
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An Atkinson, New Hampshire, native, she married Nicholas Riccio in 2025 and has two young children.
Leavitt Explained Her Reasons for Leaving on Social Media
She wrote a lengthy, detailed post on X describing her motivation for departing the role. After thanking President Donald Trump for giving her such a great opportunity, Karoline Leavitt went on to say more.
She wrote in part, "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. 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."
What Her Future Holds
Although Leavitt will no longer be at the podium in the White House press briefing room, she will still have significant input. She noted, "President Trump has asked me to continue serving as a top advisor to him on the outside, and I will always remain a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party. Our country is facing an existential threat from an increasingly extremist Democrat Party that seeks to destroy everything great about America, and I believe it is incumbent upon all of us who care about this country to fight back against that threat. My fight is entering a new phase, but it is far from over."
"Karoline Has Been a Real Leader in the White House"
President Donald Trump effusively lauded Leavitt. He called her "one of my most trusted aides." Furthermore, in the same post, Trump wrote, "Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party...Karoline has been a real leader in the White House...."
Speculation about who will be named as Karoline Leavitt's successor has already begun.
