White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is leaving her role at the end of this month, saying she cannot be the mother she wants to be while doing one of the most demanding jobs in American politics.

Trump announced the departure on Truth Social this afternoon, calling Leavitt 'one of my most trusted aides' and saying the decision was about family.

"Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, 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!" he wrote.

He added that she had been 'one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office'.

Credit: Karoline Leavitt/Instagram.

What Leavitt said

Leavitt posted her own statement on X shortly after Trump's announcement. It was longer and more personal than anything she has shared publicly since taking the job.

"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 called it a 'bittersweet decision' and said the past year and a half had been the experience of a lifetime.

She gave birth to her second child, a daughter, in May. She went on maternity leave the same month and returned to the briefing room podium in July. Less than six weeks later, she is leaving.

Who is Karoline Leavitt?

Leavitt is 28 years old, from Atkinson, New Hampshire. She graduated from Saint Anselm College and began working for Trump in 2018 during his first term as an assistant press secretary.

She went on to serve as national press secretary for his 2024 campaign. After the election, she was named White House press secretary in November 2024. She was the youngest person to hold the role in American history.

She was also the first woman to serve as press secretary while pregnant, announcing her second pregnancy after she was already in the job.

She is married to Nicholas Riccio, a real estate developer. They have two children.

She became known for a combative approach at the lectern, regularly sparring with the White House press corps in a style that Trump clearly valued.

She was the only person to hold the role during his second term. In his first term, he went through four: Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham, and Kayleigh McEnany.

Credit: Win McNamee/Getty

What happens next?

Leavitt will stay until the end of August. After that, she moves to an outside advisory role, working with the Republican Party on the midterm elections in November.

Trump framed it as a promotion: "Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party, as we work to defy History, and conclusively win the Midterm Elections."

No successor has been named. During Leavitt's maternity leave earlier this summer, press briefings became less frequent and the White House filled the gap by putting VP JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio behind the lectern instead, with mixed results.

The departure leaves Trump without a press secretary less than three months before the midterms, which is either a problem or an opportunity to install someone new depending on how you look at it.

Leavitt turns 29 on August 24, six days before her last day in the job.

Featured image credit: Instagram/Karoline Leavitt

Footage of Karoline Leavitt has resurfaced, just hours after she announced her resignation as White House Press Secretary.

The 28-year-old could be seen in a heated exchange with Donald Trump and his executive assistant, Natalie Harp, in the viral clip.

Leavitt confirmed that she was officially leaving her post at the end of August, explaining in a statement that she can't fulfill her duties as a mom while working as part of the Trump administration.

The president confirmed her departure in a Truth Social post, saying she was 'one of my most trusted aides', explaining that the decision was about family.

Theories have started to circulate despite Trump's words, with many believing that the US leader's decision to secretly exit a decoy plane to board Air Force One in Turkey last month was the last straw.

But now, others believe that tensions started to rise before this unfolded.

Karoline Leavitt announced that she is stepping down as White House Press Secretary. Credit: Tom Williams / Getty

Leaked video of Leavitt and Trump

The fiery clip shows Leavitt in a heated exchange with Trump and his political aide, as speculation has started to build that this may have contributed to her departure.

One user posted the clip to X, noting: "In a LEAKED video from last night, she looks visibly isolated during a tense Marine One exchange with Trump and another woman. Hours later, she's out. Is the WH covering up something?"

Leavitt can be seen with her arms crossed, sitting across from Harp and Trump, while speaking to the former before yawning and pointing in her direction.

Both women could be seen glancing at their phones during the exchange, leaving the contents of the conversation completely up for discussion.

Another user noted: "A tense exchange between Karoline Leavitt and Natalie Harp and Donald Trump on Marine One last night. Today, Karoline Leavitt was fired."

Marine One is the call sign of any United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying the US President.

A third speculated: "Karoline Leavitt seen looking visibly worried. Unaware the camera is recording. She urgently gets on her phone after the signal. Then today she is out. What is really happening?"

It has not been confirmed whether this conversation contributed to Leavitt's decision, which she said was due to wanting to spend more time with family.

Karoline Leavitt welcomed her second child with husband Nicholas Riccio in May 2026. Credit: Instagram

Official departure statements

Trump took to Truth Social to confirm Leavitt's decision, penning: "Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, 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!"

He also added that she was 'one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office'.

Leavitt posted her own statement on X shortly after Trump's announcement. It was longer and more personal than anything she has shared publicly since taking the job.

The Press Secretary added: "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."

Featured image credit: Win McNamee / Getty

An outrageous theory about the 'real' reason behind Karoline Leavitt's decision to step down from her role, has started to circulate online.

The White House press secretary is officially leaving her post at the end of August, stating that she cannot be the mom she wants to be while fulfilling her duties in the Trump administration.

Leavitt's departure was confirmed by Trump on Truth Social yesterday (August 12), as he described her as 'one of my most trusted aides', reiterating that the decision was about family.

The 80-year-old added that she was 'one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office'.

But some on social media claim to know the true reason behind her decision, and it's far darker than anything that's been said publicly.

Karoline Leavitt is stepping down from her role as White House Press Secretary. Credit: Tom Williams / Getty

Theory around Leavitt's departure

CBS News reported this week that members of President Donald Trump's cabinet were on a decoy plane that he secretly exited before boarding Air Force One in Turkey last month.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were among those who remained on board what was thought to be Air Force One and didn't join a flight provided to Trump over security concerns involving Iran.

The President entered the aircraft on July 8, before hiding on a catering truck to be transported to a military plane.

Social media users have caught wind of this move and quickly drawn a link to Leavitt's departure announcement, as one wrote that it was "only days after finding out she'd been left on a decoy plane targeted by Iranian death threats."

Another user said that it wasn't "hard to figure out why," claiming that Trump took political aide and former television presenter Natalie Harp with him instead of Leavitt or any other cabinet members.

The speculation claimed that Karoline "finally woke the hell up," as she realized she could have been left motherless due to "how expendable she (and everyone else) was/is" to the President.

More people took notice of this detail too, as a third wrote: "I'm sure it's just a coincidence that Karoline Leavitt resigned as White House press secretary after being an unwitting decoy on Air Force One."

Political commentator Brian Krassenstein said: "Karoline Leavitt announced her resignation 24 hours after she found out that Trump left her for dead on a plane he thought could be shot out of the sky."

But that's not all, as someone noticed that her X post announcing her departure as Press Secretary was "Made with AI".

"I guess Karoline wasn’t a fan of being left to die on the old AF1 while Trump was scuttled to another plane via catering truck," they added.

"Good riddance to the worst press secretary in U.S. history."

The 28-year-old is stepping back to focus on her role as a mother. Credit: Karoline Leavitt / Instagram.

Official statements confirm the news

"Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, 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 to break the news.

Leavitt posted her own statement on X shortly after Trump's announcement. It was longer and more personal than anything she has shared publicly since taking the job.

"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 stated.

Featured image credit: Tom Williams / Getty

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has revealed she's expecting her second child, and gave a very strange shoutout to her boss, Donald Trump, as part of the big reveal.

Leavitt, 28, took to Instagram to share that she and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, 59, are expecting a baby girl in May 2026.

Alongside festive photos featuring Leavitt, a growing baby bump, and a shirt that read “Baby sis,” she wrote: “The greatest Christmas gift we could ever ask for - baby girl coming in May 2026.”

Karoline Leavitt announced her pregnancy on Instagram. Credit: karolineleavitt / Instagram

In a follow-up snap, Leavitt included her husband holding their one-year-old son, Niko, next to a Christmas tree.

She captioned the moment with: “My heart is overflowing with gratitude to God for the blessing of motherhood, which I truly believe is the closest thing to Heaven on Earth.”

And in a move few saw coming, Leavitt pivoted from heartfelt to political, writing: “I am also extremely grateful to President Trump and our Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for their support, and for fostering a pro-family environment in the White House.”

She ended the post on a high note, declaring: “2026 is going to be a great year and I am so excited to be a girl mom!”

Balancing motherhood and one of the most high-profile jobs in politics

Leavitt made history as the youngest person to ever serve as White House press secretary.

She gave birth to her son in July 2024 while working on Trump’s campaign - just days before an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.

The chaotic moment led the 28-year-old to cut her maternity leave short and return to work earlier than expected.

She later spoke to The Christian Broadcasting Network about the emotional toll of juggling the intense demands of the White House and parenting.

"I think every working mother understands the demands. And no matter where you are, what you’re doing, there is a sense of guilt," she said. "But I spend every second that I possibly can with my son when I’m home on weekends and evenings."

Leavitt with her son and husband Nicholas Riccio. Credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty

Throughout the 2024 campaign, Leavitt made it work with baby Niko by her side - literally. She initially worked from home, telling the Post Run High podcast: "I was able to easily go downstairs and do a quick TV hit and then, of course, attend to my child."

Once back in the office, she brought her son with her, adding, “He was always with me throughout the entire duration of the campaign and just made it work."

Leavitt’s son has become a familiar face on her social media, appearing in everything from beach trips in New Hampshire to posing with a live turkey at the White House and dressing up in a pumpkin costume for Halloween.

Speaking to Megyn Kelly, the press secretary praised her husband for being a rock of support: “He’s fully supportive of me building my success in my career...Becoming a mother in the midst of this very chaotic political world that I work in has been the best thing I could ever imagine because it gives you great perspective.”

According to the White House, Leavitt will continue in her role after giving birth to her daughter, though no specifics about maternity leave were provided, per the New York Times.

Featured image credit: Anna Moneymaker / Getty

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has been flooded with praise after a picture of her feeding her infant son at work went viral online.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has been praised online. Credit: Andrew Harnik / Getty

The candid moment was captured by senior Trump aide Margo Martin, who shared it on social media with the caption: “Walked in to @PressSec typing with one hand, and feeding her son with the other. Super Mom!”

The image shows Leavitt seated at her desk, typing with her right hand while holding her nine-month-old son Niko in her left arm.

The photo drew an outpouring of support across social media. “What a boss mom!! She's the best Press Sec we've ever had,” one user commented. Another simply wrote, “She’s amazing,” while a third added, “Powerful Woman.”

Leavitt began her political career as a White House intern during President Donald Trump’s first term, later joining the press team under Kayleigh McEnany, who is now a Fox News host.

She has since risen to national prominence, becoming a key public voice for the Trump administration.

The 27-year-old, who gave birth to her son on July 10, 2024, has been transparent about the challenges of balancing a high-pressure job with motherhood.

Back in February, she shared a photo of her baby on Instagram with the caption: “Work at white house, baby bedtime routine, & then @seanhannity at 9pm,” per Fox News.

Speaking to the Christian Broadcasting Network, Leavitt acknowledged the emotional toll of being away from her baby due to work obligations. “I spend every second that I possibly can with my son when I'm home on weekends and evenings,” she said, per The Mirror. “I try to make it home for bedtime as much as I can throughout the week.

“I think every working mother understands the demands. No matter where you are, what you're doing, there is a sense of guilt," she added.

Leavitt with her son and husband Nicholas Riccio. Credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty

Leavitt shares her son with her husband, 59-year-old real estate developer Nicholas Riccio, whom she married in January 2025, shortly before Trump’s inauguration.

The couple has a 32-year age gap - something that has attracted attention. The press secretary briefly addressed this in a recent interview, saying that Riccio is her "greatest supporter, he's my best friend and he's my rock".

“He's built a very successful business himself, so now he's fully supportive of me building my success in my career," she added.

Featured image credit: Andrew Harnik / Getty