White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to Step Down, Trump Announces

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, known for her combative exchanges with reporters and staunch defense of President Donald Trump, will step down from her post at the end of the month, President Trump announced on Wednesday.

Leavitt, 28, became the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary. Throughout her tenure, she emerged as one of Trump's most loyal public advocates, frequently delivering forceful responses during often-contentious press briefings.

In a post on social media, Trump praised Leavitt's service and said she would remain a key member of his team.

"Our White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trusted and outstanding advisers, Karoline Leavitt, will be leaving her position at the end of this month," Trump wrote. "This will allow her to spend more time with her beautiful young children and family."

He added that Leavitt would become one of his senior outside advisers and continue to serve as an influential voice within the Republican Party.

Leavitt announced in May that she had given birth to her second child, a daughter named Viviana. She had previously delayed taking maternity leave following an alleged assassination attempt against Trump, which authorities said occurred after an armed individual attempted to enter the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Her resignation comes just weeks after returning to work following the birth of her daughter.

In a social media statement after the announcement, Leavitt thanked Trump for entrusting her with the role.

"I am grateful to the President for giving me the extraordinary privilege of speaking on his behalf from the White House podium," she wrote.

She also said she was proud to have held what she described as the liberal media accountable while ensuring Americans learned about the administration's achievements.

Reflecting on her decision, Leavitt said that after returning to the White House following her daughter's birth, she realized she could not devote the time and attention required both to serve effectively as press secretary and to be the mother her two young children needed.

A longtime Trump ally, Leavitt worked in the White House press office during the final year of Trump's first term, which ended in 2021. She later served as a spokesperson for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.

During her tenure as press secretary, regular White House press briefings resumed after becoming less frequent during Trump's first term. Her time in office also saw significant changes to the administration's relationship with the press.

In February 2025, Leavitt announced that the White House, rather than the independent White House Correspondents' Association, would determine which journalists received close access to the president in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One.

She also expanded access for conservative and pro-Trump media outlets, a move that reduced the presence of some traditional news organizations known for asking more challenging questions.

Raised in New Hampshire, where her family operated an ice cream shop, Leavitt first gained attention in 2017 while still a university student after writing a newspaper letter criticizing a professor for remarks about Trump.

Following Trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential election, Leavitt ran unsuccessfully for a U.S. House seat in New Hampshire in 2022 on a platform supporting Trump and defending gun rights.

She later became a prominent television spokesperson during Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, earning praise from the president for her outspoken advocacy.

Hinting at her future political ambitions, Leavitt said her "fight is entering a new phase" but insisted that it was "far from over," while criticizing the Democratic Party and vowing to remain active in Republican politics.