WASHINGTON, August 13, 2026
Karoline Leavitt Resigns as Trump’s Press Secretary, Reveals Why She Is Leaving the White House
Karoline Leavitt’s resignation as White House press secretary will take effect at the end of August, with the senior Trump administration official saying she is leaving the demanding position to devote more time to her two young children and family.
President Donald Trump confirmed the decision and said Leavitt would remain one of his leading outside advisers. She also plans to continue supporting Trump’s political movement and the Republican Party.
Leavitt announced her departure Wednesday in a lengthy statement on X. Describing the decision as bittersweet, she reflected on her time at the White House and explained how becoming a mother of two had changed her priorities.
A successor had not been announced as of Thursday.
Why is Karoline Leavitt leaving the White House?
Leavitt said she concluded after returning from maternity leave that the constant time, energy and attention required of a White House press secretary made it difficult to be the mother she wanted to be.
She welcomed her second child, a daughter, in May 2026. Leavitt and her husband also have a young son.
Balancing motherhood while handling one of Washington’s most demanding communications positions had been both rewarding and challenging, she said. Her experience after returning to work ultimately prompted her to begin a new chapter outside the White House.
“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,” Leavitt wrote in her statement on X.
Leavitt reflects on her White House tenure
Leavitt described serving as White House press secretary for approximately a year and a half as the greatest honor and most memorable experience of her life.
She thanked Trump for allowing her to work in the West Wing, spend time in the Oval Office, travel internationally, meet foreign leaders and interact with Americans across the country.
Leavitt said she was particularly grateful for the opportunity to represent the president from the White House briefing-room podium. She defended the administration’s record and said she took pride in communicating its policies and challenging media coverage.
Her remarks about the administration, the news media and the Democratic Party represented her personal political views.
Will Leavitt continue working with Trump?
Yes. Leavitt said Trump had asked her to continue serving as a leading adviser from outside the administration.
Trump separately confirmed that she would remain an outside adviser and an influential Republican voice as the party prepares for the midterm elections.
Although she is leaving her formal government position, Leavitt said she would continue publicly supporting the MAGA movement and the Republican Party.
“My fight is entering a new phase, but it is not over,” she wrote.
Trump praises departing press secretary
Trump said he understood and respected Leavitt’s decision to spend more time with her children and family. He praised her leadership and work during his administration and the 2024 presidential campaign.
The president described Leavitt as one of his most trusted aides and said she had performed exceptionally in the press secretary’s role.
His announcement established that Leavitt would leave the administration at the end of August rather than departing immediately.
Leavitt thanks Trump family and White House colleagues
In her farewell message, Leavitt thanked Trump, first lady Melania Trump and the president’s family for their support.
She also expressed gratitude to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who she said had trusted and supported her since hiring her for Trump’s campaign.
Leavitt thanked Cabinet members, her staff and other White House colleagues for their work. She said she would watch their accomplishments during the remaining two and a half years of Trump’s term from outside the administration.
She also thanked her husband and other family members for the sacrifices they made while she performed her White House duties.
Who is Karoline Leavitt?
Leavitt, 28, became the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary when she assumed the position at the beginning of Trump’s second term in January 2025.
Before joining the administration, she served as Trump’s national press secretary during his 2024 presidential campaign. She had previously worked in the White House during Trump’s first term and later served as communications director for Republican lawmaker Elise Stefanik.
Leavitt also ran unsuccessfully for a US House seat in New Hampshire in 2022.
As press secretary, she became one of the administration’s most visible figures. She regularly defended Trump’s policies and adopted a combative approach toward critics and sections of the press.
Who will replace Karoline Leavitt?
The White House has not yet identified Leavitt’s replacement. Until an appointment is announced, questions remain about who will assume responsibility for daily briefings and the administration’s broader media strategy.
The position requires the spokesperson to communicate White House policy, respond to national and international developments and represent the president before the press corps.
Leavitt’s departure will create a significant opening in Trump’s communications operation. However, her continued advisory role means she is expected to remain involved in the president’s political messaging outside the formal White House structure.
