White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to Leave Administration at End of August

Major White House Departure

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her role at the end of August, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday. Leavitt's departure was announced less than a month after she returned to the White House after having been on maternity leave for the birth of her daughter on May 1.

Why It Matters

The imminent departure of one of the president's closest allies inside the White House marks a major shakeup for the president's press operation, with less than three months until the midterm elections. Leavitt, who gave birth to her second child in May, making her the first White House press secretary to have a child while serving in the role, confirmed her departure in a statement on X. She is part of a broader exodus of female leaders from the Trump administration this year.

What Leavitt Said

"President Trump has asked me to continue serving as a top advisor to him on the outside, and I will always remain a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party," she wrote Wednesday. Leavitt, 28, is resigning "so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect!" Trump said in a Truth Social post announcing her planned departure.

Historical Context

She is the youngest person to hold the position in U.S. history. At a little over 18 months, Leavitt's tenure is the second-longest for a White House press secretary under Trump. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, now the governor of Arkansas, was in the role for nearly two years during Trump's first term. Leavitt will continue in an advisory capacity as Trump's team prepares for crucial midterm elections in November.