Trump announces Karoline Leavitt will leave White House Press Secretary role

US President Donald Trump has announced that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her position at the end of the month, saying she wants to spend more time with her young children and family.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump described Leavitt as one of his “most trusted aides” and said he understood and respected her decision.

Trump said Leavitt would continue to play a role in his administration as one of his top outside advisers after leaving the White House press secretary position.

He also said she would remain an influential voice within the Republican Party as the party prepares for the upcoming midterm elections.

Trump praises Leavitt’s tenure

Trump praised Leavitt's performance as press secretary, calling her a “real leader” in the White House.

He said she had done a “phenomenal job” since joining his political operation in 2018, including during his successful 2024 re-election campaign.

Trump also described Leavitt as one of the best White House press secretaries in the history of the office, while thanking her for what he called a job well done.

Focus shifts to midterm elections

Leavitt's departure comes as Trump and Republicans prepare for the midterm elections. Trump said she would continue working with him from outside the White House and help the Republican Party seek to “defy History” and secure a decisive victory.

Her continued involvement as an outside adviser means she is expected to remain an important personality in Trump's political operation even after stepping down as press secretary.

Trump did not identify a successor in the statement announcing Leavitt's departure.

Leavitt says motherhood drove ‘bittersweet’ decision

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has announced that she will step down from her role, saying the demands of the high-profile position have made it difficult for her to give her two young children the time and attention they deserve.

In a lengthy post, Leavitt described serving as President Donald Trump’s press secretary as the “honor and adventure of a lifetime” and thanked Trump for giving her the opportunity to work at the White House and represent his administration from the podium.

Leavitt said becoming a mother while serving in one of the administration’s most demanding positions had been both rewarding and challenging.

“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,” she wrote.

She described her decision to leave as “bittersweet”, saying it would allow her to begin a new chapter in her life.

Leavitt particularly thanked her husband and family for the sacrifices they made while she served in the administration.

Leavitt: Trump loyalist who reshaped White House media strategy

Karoline Leavitt is a longtime Trump ally who previously worked in his first-term press office and later served as a spokesperson during his 2024 presidential campaign.

As White House press secretary, Leavitt revived regular press briefings but also introduced major changes to how journalists interacted with the president. In February 2025, she announced that the White House, rather than the independent White House Correspondents’ Association, would decide which reporters could cover Trump in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One.

She also expanded access for right-wing and pro-Trump media outlets, reducing the dominance of traditional news organisations in White House coverage.

Leavitt's political alignment with Trump dates back years. She challenged criticism of Trump while at university, unsuccessfully ran for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022 on a pro-Trump platform and later gained Trump's praise for her television appearances during his 2024 campaign.