White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to Resign in August, Trump Announces

President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will step down at the end of August. Trump said Leavitt is leaving "so she can spend more time" with her family after giving birth to a daughter in May and returning from maternity leave last month. He added that she will serve as one of his top outside advisers.

Leavitt posted on X that she felt unable to balance the demands of the press secretary role with the responsibilities of motherhood, describing her decision to leave as "bittersweet" and indicating she will pursue a new chapter in her life.

Leavitt, 28, became the youngest person to hold the press secretary position when she was appointed in January 2025. She previously worked as a press aide during Trump's first term and ran unsuccessfully for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022. Prior to her appointment, she served as a transition spokeswoman for Trump's 2024 campaign.

During her tenure, Leavitt defended the administration’s policies and frequently criticized Democratic opponents and media outlets. Fact-checking organizations noted that some of her statements, such as a claim that "tariffs are a tax cut for the American people," were rated false.

The president’s senior staff praised Leavitt’s service, while Democratic lawmakers criticized her departure, with Senator Adam Schiff commenting that she is leaving "to spend a little more time … with the truth."