Karoline Leavitt to step down as White House press secretary at end of August

Karoline Leavitt. Pic/X

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her post at the end of August to spend more time with her family, President Donald Trump announced here on Wednesday.

Leavitt, one of Trump's closest aides and most prominent public defenders, will continue serving as an outside adviser. Trump said she would also remain an influential Republican voice ahead of the midterm elections.

"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 wrote on Truth Social.

"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," he said. Trump did not immediately announce her successor.

The Wall Street Journal reported that White House counsel David Warrington was among the names being considered. It said White House staff members Will Scharf, Steven Cheung and Abigail Jackson were also being discussed.

Leavitt said serving as press secretary for the past year and a half had been "the honor and adventure of a lifetime". She thanked Trump for giving her opportunities to work in the West Wing, travel abroad, meet foreign leaders and speak on his behalf from 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," she said.

Leavitt said balancing motherhood with the demands of the job had become increasingly difficult after the birth of her daughter.

"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," she said.

She said Trump had asked her to continue advising him from outside the administration. She also pledged to remain an advocate for his Make America Great Again movement and the Republican Party. "My fight is entering a new phase, but it is far from over," Leavitt said.

Trump described Leavitt as "one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office" and praised her work in his administration and during his 2024 campaign.

Leavitt became the youngest White House press secretary in US history when she assumed the role at 27. She had earlier served as an assistant press secretary during Trump's first administration and later became a spokesperson for his 2024 presidential campaign.

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