Karoline Leavitt to Leave White House Press Secretary Post

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the position, will leave the Trump administration at the end of August to spend more time with her family.

Leavitt, 28, described the decision as “bittersweet” in a social media post on Wednesday, shortly after President Donald Trump announced her departure.

She recently returned to the White House podium following the birth of her second child, a daughter named Viviana, in May. She also has a two-year-old son.

Leavitt said she had decided to leave because she could not balance the demands of the high-profile job with the needs of her young children.

“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.

Trump did not announce a replacement for Leavitt. He said he understood and respected her decision and indicated that she would remain involved in his political activities.

“Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party,” Trump said, adding that she would work with him to help Republicans win the midterm elections.

Leavitt joined Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign after previously serving as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC. She also ran unsuccessfully for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022 after winning a 10-way Republican primary.

During Trump’s first term, Leavitt worked in the White House press office. She later served as communications director for New York Republican Representative Elise Stefanik.

As press secretary, Leavitt held White House briefings less frequently than some of her predecessors. Trump often spoke directly to reporters at White House events and while travelling, while Leavitt frequently appeared on conservative media outlets to promote his agenda and criticise Democrats and mainstream media.

Trump’s previous press secretaries included Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham and Kayleigh McEnany, several of whom became known for contentious exchanges with reporters.