Karoline Leavitt is preparing to leave her role as White House press secretary, bringing her time behind the briefing room podium to an end as she turns her attention toward her two young children.
Leavitt, 28, announced that she will depart the White House at the end of the month, describing the choice as a “bittersweet decision” that came after trying to balance one of Washington’s most demanding positions with life as a mother of two.
The announcement comes less than a month after Leavitt returned from maternity leave on July 16. She gave birth to her second child, daughter Viviana, on May 1.
In a statement posted on X, Leavitt explained that motherhood had changed how she viewed the demands of her position.
“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,” she wrote.
Leavitt explains why she is stepping away
Leavitt said that since returning to work following her daughter’s birth, she had increasingly felt unable to give both her family and her White House responsibilities the attention they required.
“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 wrote.
That realization, she said, ultimately led her to choose her family and begin a new chapter outside the White House.
Leavitt shares two-year-old son Niko and three-month-old daughter Vivi with her husband, real estate developer Nicholas Riccio.
Fox News also broke into its scheduled programming as Martha MacCallum reported the announcement and read President Donald Trump’s statement about Leavitt’s departure.
Trump said he understood and respected her decision, while making clear that Leavitt is not expected to disappear from his political circle.
The president said she will remain one of his “top outside advisors” and continue as an influential Republican voice as the party approaches the November midterm elections.
Trump also praised Leavitt’s performance, describing her as “one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the history of the Office.”
A prominent role inside Trump’s White House
Leavitt’s relationship with Trump stretches back to his first administration.
She entered his political orbit in 2018, initially working as a presidential writer before becoming an assistant White House press secretary. She later served as communications director for Rep. Elise Stefanik between 2021 and 2022.
Leavitt launched her own congressional campaign in New Hampshire in 2022, winning the Republican primary for the state’s 1st Congressional District before losing the general election to Democratic incumbent Chris Pappas.
She returned to Trump’s operation as national press secretary for his 2024 campaign and was subsequently selected to serve as White House press secretary after his return to the Oval Office.
During her time in the administration, Leavitt became one of Trump’s closest aides and developed a highly visible presence at the White House briefing room podium.
She also attended classified Situation Room briefings and advised during major controversies, according to the information surrounding her departure.
MacCallum noted that Leavitt had established a particularly strong presence in the briefing room. During her maternity leave, figures including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared at briefings.
What comes next remains unclear
Leavitt has not announced what professional role she intends to pursue after leaving the administration.
Her departure follows the recent exit of deputy Abigail Jackson, who left the White House for the private sector.
No permanent replacement for Leavitt has yet been announced, leaving unanswered questions about who will take over the daily responsibility of representing the administration from the briefing room.
For Leavitt, however, the immediate reason for leaving is clear.
After returning from maternity leave and attempting to balance her responsibilities at the White House with raising two very young children, she decided that this chapter of her career needed to end so she could devote more time to her family.
Although she is leaving her official position, Trump’s announcement indicates that Leavitt will remain connected to his political operation as an outside adviser while beginning the next stage of her life away from the day-to-day demands of the White House.
