Karoline Leavitt will leave her position as White House press secretary at the end of August, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026. Leavitt said she made the decision to spend more time with her young family after recently returning from maternity leave following the birth of her second child.
Trump said Leavitt will remain involved in his political operation as an outside communications adviser and an influential Republican voice as the party heads toward the November midterm elections. He also praised her performance in the White House, calling her among the strongest press secretaries in the office’s history.
A departure tied to family priorities
The announcement comes only weeks after Leavitt returned to the White House briefing room. She stepped away from her duties in late April before giving birth to her daughter, Viviana, in May. Her first formal briefing after maternity leave took place in July.
Leavitt said the decision was difficult but that the demands of the press secretary position made it challenging to give her two young children the time and attention she believes they need. She described her tenure at the White House as the “honor and adventure of a lifetime.”
Trump said he understood and respected her decision. He did not announce a replacement for the position.
Leavitt became a prominent Trump communicator
At 28, Karoline Leavitt became the youngest person appointed White House press secretary when she took the position in January 2025. Before returning to the White House, she had worked on Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and served as its national press secretary during the campaign.
Her connection with Trump dates back to his first administration, when she worked in the White House press operation. She later served as communications director for Rep. Elise Stefanik and ran unsuccessfully for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022.
During Trump’s second administration, Karoline Leavitt became a central public defender of the president’s agenda, frequently appearing before reporters and communicating with conservative media outlets.
A different approach to the White House press room
Leavitt’s tenure also coincided with a shift in how the administration handled presidential media access.
The White House expanded opportunities for podcasts, newsletters, bloggers and emerging digital outlets, including the creation of a dedicated “new media” seat in the briefing room. Supporters viewed the move as an adaptation to a changing media environment, while press advocates criticized aspects of the administration’s approach to journalist access.
The administration also changed the traditional system governing access to the president, prompting criticism from organizations representing journalists. Those disputes became part of the broader debate surrounding Trump’s relationship with the mainstream press.
Official White House records show that Leavitt continued holding press briefings through July 2026, including appearances at the White House briefing room in Washington.
What happens next
Leavitt’s exit will leave the Trump administration searching for a new person to serve as its principal White House spokesperson. As of Aug. 12, Trump had not identified who would succeed her.
For Leavitt, however, leaving the briefing room does not mean leaving Trump’s political orbit. Both she and Trump said she will continue working as an outside adviser and remain active in Republican politics.
Her departure therefore marks a change in her formal government role while preserving her connection to the administration and the broader Trump political movement.
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