Karoline Leavitt is walking away from one of the most high-profile jobs in Washington for a reason many parents can understand: She wants to be there for her children.
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Leavitt will step down as White House press secretary at the end of August, less than a month after she returned from maternity leave following the birth of her daughter, Viviana, on May 1.
Trump said Leavitt, 28, is leaving “so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family,” adding that it is a decision he “totally understand[s] and respect[s].”
Leavitt soon confirmed the news herself, revealing just how difficult it had become to balance motherhood with the relentless demands of the White House.
“Being a mother and welcoming a new baby while working in one of the most demanding jobs in the world has been the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least,” Leavitt wrote on X.
She said that after returning to work, she began to realize she could not give both roles everything she believed they deserved.
“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.
That realization, Leavitt said, led to the “bittersweet decision” to leave the White House and begin a new chapter.
It is a choice that puts a familiar struggle for working parents on a very public stage. Careers can bring purpose, opportunity and achievement, but raising young children brings demands that do not always fit neatly around a work schedule. For Leavitt, that tension ultimately led her to choose more time at home.
Her departure comes after a history-making run. Leavitt became the youngest White House press secretary ever when she took the job at 27 after Trump returned to office in January 2025. She had previously served as Trump’s spokesperson during his 2024 presidential campaign and transition, worked in his first administration and served on the staff of Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Trump offered high praise for Leavitt, calling her “one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office” and thanking her for a “job well done.”
She will not disappear from politics entirely. Trump said Leavitt will become one of his “top outside advisors” and remain an influential voice in the Republican Party heading into November’s midterm elections.
Members of the administration also applauded her decision. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he had “tremendous respect” for Leavitt for putting her family first, while White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles praised her as “unmatched” in delivering the president’s message.
Leavitt and her husband, real estate developer Nicholas Riccio, are raising two young children. After making history at the White House podium, Leavitt is now prioritizing being more present for her family during a season she cannot get back.
The White House has not announced her replacement.