Trump announces Karoline Leavitt's departure as White House press secretary

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her role at the end of August and become one of his top outside advisers.

"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 his social media platform Truth Social.

He said Leavitt would remain "an influential voice within the Republican Party" as the party works to "conclusively win the Midterm Elections," which are less than three months away, on Nov. 3.

Trump is not on the ballot for the midterms, but if Democrats make sizeable gains in Congress, as most current polls predict, Trump's ability to govern in the rest of his term could be significantly hindered.

Writing on US social media company X, Leavitt said: "Being a mother and welcoming a new baby while working in one of the most demanding jobs in the world has been the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least."

"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.

"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 added, referring to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan.

"It has been a privilege to serve alongside so many accomplished and impressive people, and I look forward to cheering them on over the next two and a half years."

Leavitt, 28, became the youngest White House press secretary in US history when Trump named her to the post in November 2024.

She previously served as an assistant press secretary during Trump's first term and as national press secretary for his 2024 campaign to return to the White House.

Leavitt began her maternity leave in April and gave birth to her second child, a daughter named Viviana, on May 1. She and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, also have a son born in 2024.

As press secretary, Leavitt has drawn praise from the Trump faithful for aggressively defending her boss and his agenda while critics have accused her of being untruthful and using playground insults and name-calling to deflect tough questions.