White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt resigns after 18 months amid controversy

Karoline Leavitt said she will step down as White House press secretary to devote more time to her family, noting that the birth of her second child made it difficult to meet the demands of the role. The 28-year-old, who became the youngest person to hold the position, served for 18 months under President Donald Trump, who called her one of his most trusted aides.

Leavitt’s tenure was marked by a series of contentious exchanges with the press. In her first briefing she claimed the administration had prevented a $50 million program to fund condoms in Gaza, a statement that was not corroborated by any government source. Later, she disputed an Associated Press reporter’s description of tariffs, calling the question “insulting” and expressing regret for taking it. She also defended the administration’s decision to restrict AP access to briefings over the agency’s use of the term “Gulf of Mexico,” insisting the body of water should be called the “Gulf of America.”

Leavitt drew further criticism after a text exchange with a HuffPost reporter in which she replied “Your mom did” to a question about the significance of a meeting in Budapest. The response was widely shared and described as unprofessional. She has also dismissed inquiries about the Jeffrey Epstein case as a “hoax” and labeled reporters who pursued the topic as “left-wing hacks.” In early 2026, she responded to questions about an ICE agent’s fatal shooting by accusing the journalist of bias rather than addressing the incident.

Supporters of the former president expressed disappointment at her departure, while critics welcomed the news, noting her frequent use of confrontational language and unverified claims during briefings.