White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt Steps Down

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will step down at the end of the month. The 28‑year‑old Leavitt, who became the youngest press secretary in White House history, said she was making the decision to spend more time with her two young children. No one has yet been named to replace Leavitt.

Trump Declared: 'One of My Most Trusted Assistants'

Trump shared on his social‑media account that Leavitt would be stepping down. Calling Leavitt 'one of his most trusted aides', Trump said the young spokesperson wanted to spend more time with her family and children.

Trump said he understood and respected Leavitt’s decision, while signaling that her departure from the White House did not mean the end of their joint work.

'Karoline is now one of my most important external advisers and will be an influential voice within the Republican Party,' Trump said, adding that Leavitt’s influence on the political arena would continue.

She Explained the Challenges of Being a Mother After Her Departure Decision

Leavitt, who gave birth to her second child in May, has a two‑year‑old son and a newborn daughter. After Trump’s statement, Leavitt posted a message from her social‑media account, describing the White House Press Secretary role as the “greatest honor and adventure” of her life.

Leavitt said that while working in one of the world’s toughest jobs, motherhood was both the most rewarding and the most challenging period of her life.

Leavitt, who recalled returning to the White House after the birth of her second child, said that while giving the time, energy, and attention required of a press secretary, she could not provide the kind of motherhood she wanted for her two young children. She therefore announced that she had decided to leave the White House and start a new chapter in her life.

She had become the youngest White House Press Secretary in history.

When the 28‑year‑old Leavitt took on the White House Press Secretary role last year, she became the youngest person ever appointed to the post in U.S. history.

However, her political journey with Trump began much earlier. Leavitt served as a deputy press secretary and speechwriter during Trump’s first presidential term, before later taking on the role of communications director for Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.

Leavitt ran for Congress from New Hampshire in 2022. Although he won the Republican primary, he lost to Democrat Chris Pappas in the general election.

Later, Leavitt served as the spokesperson for the Trump‑aligned political group MAGA Inc., and during the 2024 presidential election he acted as the national press secretary for the Trump campaign.

He often ran into conflict with the media.

Leavitt's tenure at the White House also came under scrutiny for his heated disputes with the American press. Accused of being biased and left‑leaning by some journalists, Leavitt became one of the voices who strongly defended the Trump administration's policies at press briefings.

The changes he made to the White House's relations with press outlets also sparked controversy. When the Associated Press failed to use the Trump administration's preferred term “America Gulf” instead of “Gulf of Mexico,” the agency’s access to the White House was curtailed, drawing widespread public attention.

While Leavitt's sharp style drew criticism from opposition circles, it received broad support among Trump supporters.

“His story is just beginning”

Beyaz Saray Special Counsel Deputy Stephen Miller made remarks that drew attention after Leavitt's resignation decision. Miller, who described Leavitt as a 'close friend' and 'role model', said the two would continue to work together.

“His story is just beginning” said Miller, who outlined expectations for Leavitt's future political career.

Leavitt, who succeeded Sarah Huckabee Sanders, became the longest-serving press secretary in Trump's two presidential terms.

In the Beyaz Saray, attention now revolves around who will sit in Leavitt's chair. The identity of the sixth press secretary in Trump's two administrations remains uncertain.