White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her job at the end of August, President Donald Trump announced this week.
Leavitt is set to step down at the end of the month to dedicate her time to her family, but will remain an adviser to the president, Trump said in the Aug. 12 social media post. Leavitt is married and has two children: a 2-year-old son and an infant daughter.
"Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trusted aides, Karoline Leavitt, will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect!," Trump said in his Truth Social post.
Trump didn't announce who the next White House press secretary
will be.
Here's what to know about the White House press secretary.
Why is Karoline Leavitt stepping down?
Karoline Leavitt is stepping down from her role as President Donald Trump's White House press secretary to focus on her family, Trump announced in an Aug. 12 Truth Social post.
"Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trusted aides, Karoline Leavitt, will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect! Karoline 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. Karoline has been a real leader in the White House, and has done a phenomenal job fighting for Justice, Liberty, and Freedom, since 2018, including our Historic Re-Election Campaign of 2024. Karoline has been one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office. Thank you, Karoline, for a job well done! President DONALD J. TRUMP," Trump said in the post.
How long was Karoline Leavitt White House press secretary?
Leavitt will leave her role at the end of August, concluding one-and-a-half years in the position.
Trump shuffled through four press secretaries during his first four years in office, from 2017 to 2021: Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham and Kayleigh McEnany.
Leavitt is Trump's second-longest serving White House press secretary, behind Sanders.
What did Karoline Leavitt say about the departure?
In a statement posted on X, Leavitt reflected upon her time as White House press secretary and her decision to leave the Trump administration, saying she will continue advising Trump while embracing more time with her children.
"Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime. I am incredibly grateful to President Trump for granting me so many extraordinary opportunities, such as working in the West Wing and spending countless hours in the Oval Office, flying around the world and meeting foreign leaders, and traveling across our beautiful country and meeting Americans from all walks of life," the statement began.
"Most of all, I am thankful to the President for entrusting me with the distinct privilege of speaking on his behalf at the White House podium. I have spoken with great pride about the many historic accomplishments of this Administration, and I have relished holding the liberal media accountable and ensuring the American people hear the truth about President Trump’s successes.
"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," Leavitt continued.
"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.
"Thank you again to the President, the First Lady, and the entire Trump family for your kindness and generosity over the years. Thank you to our amazing Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for empowering me since the day she hired me on the campaign, and to the President’s cabinet, my staff, colleagues, and friends at the White House who work so hard on behalf of our nation. It has been a privilege to serve alongside so many accomplished and impressive people, and I look forward to cheering them on over the next two and a half years.
"And of course, thank you most especially to my loving and supportive husband and family for the sacrifices they made for me to serve in this role. ♥️🇺🇸," the statement concluded.
Who is Karoline Leavitt?
Born in New Hampshire, Karoline Leavitt, 28, is the youngest press secretary in White House history, serving in the second Trump administration. Leavitt previously worked as a press aide in the White House during Trump's first term and later unsuccessfully ran for Congress as a Republican in her native New Hampshire in 2022.
Her previous roles also included assistant White House press secretary from 2019-20 during the first Trump administration, communications director for U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, from 2021-22, and national press secretary for the Trump 2024 presidential campaign in 2024, according to Iowa State University.
Leavitt is married to real estate developer Nicholas Riccio and the couple share two children, 2-year-old son Nicholas "Niko" and daughter Viviana "Vivi."
Who will be the next White House press secretary?
Trump did not say who would replace Leavitt as the next White House press secretary.
USA TODAY contributed.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: White House press secretary stepping down. Who is Karoline Leavitt?
