White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt leaving Trump administration

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave the Trump administration at the end of August to spend more time with her young family, President Donald Trump and Leavitt announced.

Leavitt, 28, the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary, described her departure as a “bittersweet decision” in a social media post. 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 2-year-old son.

“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 wrote.

Trump did not announce a successor for the high-profile position. He said he understood and respected her decision, while indicating that she would remain involved in his political orbit.

“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,” the president wrote.

Leavitt joined Trump’s 2024 campaign after working as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting him. She previously worked in the White House press office during Trump’s first term and later served as communications director for Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York.

In 2022, Leavitt ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing the general election to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.

As press secretary, Leavitt held White House briefings less frequently than some of her recent predecessors. Trump frequently speaks to reporters himself at White House events and while travelling, while Leavitt was often deployed to Fox News and other conservative media outlets to promote the administration’s agenda and criticise Democrats and mainstream media organisations.

Trump’s first-term press secretaries included Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, both known for confrontations with reporters. Stephanie Grisham did not hold a briefing during her tenure, while Kayleigh McEnany frequently clashed with journalists during appearances in the White House briefing room.

By Aghakazim Guliyev