Karoline Leavitt to leave White House press secretary post

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will step down from her position at the end of this month and continue as a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, Trump announced Wednesday.

Leavitt, 28, became the youngest person ever to serve as a top spokesperson for a US president. She gained attention for her combative briefings and strong defence of Trump.

Trump said Leavitt was leaving the role to spend more time with her two young children and family, while adding that she would remain one of his top outside advisers and an influential voice within the Republican Party.

Leavitt announced the birth of her second child, a daughter named Viviana, in May. She had previously delayed her maternity leave following an alleged assassination attempt on Trump when a gunman reportedly tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

In a social media post, Leavitt thanked Trump for giving her the opportunity to speak on his behalf from the White House podium. She said she had enjoyed holding the media accountable and presenting what she described as the truth about Trump’s achievements.

Leavitt said that after returning to the White House following her daughter’s birth, she realised she could not give her two young children the attention they deserved while continuing in the demanding press secretary role.

A Trump loyalist, Leavitt previously worked in his press office during his first presidential term and later served as his spokesperson during his 2024 election campaign.

During her tenure, regular White House press briefings resumed after becoming less frequent during Trump’s first term. She also introduced major changes to the White House’s relationship with journalists.

In February 2025, Leavitt announced that the White House, rather than an independent correspondents’ association, would decide which reporters could cover Trump closely in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One.

She also helped provide press credentials to right-wing and pro-Trump media outlets, reducing the presence of traditional news organisations in the briefing room.

Leavitt grew up in New Hampshire, where her family operated an ice cream shop. In 2017, she wrote to her university newspaper objecting to a professor’s criticism of Trump.

After Trump lost the 2020 election, she unsuccessfully ran for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022 on a pro-Trump platform supporting gun ownership.

She later earned Trump’s praise for her television appearances during his 2024 campaign and indicated that she intended to pursue a political career.