US President Donald Trump on Friday put White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in the spotlight as he praised her work and joked about her decision
to leave the administration to spend more time with her family. Trump brought Leavitt on stage and thanked her for her work, calling her a "wonderful woman" who had done an "unbelievable job" as White House press secretary. He then turned to her family life, joking that Leavitt had "just had a baby" and that he had learned she "loves the baby more than she loves Donald Trump." "I'm very angry with her," Trump quipped, drawing laughter.
Trump notes that Karoline Leavitt just had a baby and says, "I just learned she loves the baby more than she loves Donald Trump, and I'm very angry with her:" pic.twitter.com/PUFL2Mlm4G
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 22, 2026
Thanking Trump, Leavitt described serving as White House press secretary as "the honor of my life."
Karoline Leavitt exits White House
Leavitt, who gave birth to her second child in May, announced on August 12 that she would step down from her White House role at the end of August to spend more time with her family. She has said she will continue working with Trump's political operation, joining the Trump-affiliated super PAC MAGA Inc.
Trump also said Leavitt would remain involved in his political operation while balancing her time with her two children. She gave birth to her second child in May and announced on August 12 that she would leave her White House position to spend more time with her family. She told reporters aboard Air Force One that she would join the Trump-affiliated super PAC MAGA Inc. after leaving the administration.
Trump was reportedly surprised by Leavitt's decision to leave and is not expected to rush to appoint a permanent successor.
In the meantime, a rotating group of administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance, is expected to handle White House briefings.
