White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, youngest ever at 27, to step down

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary who has served as the public voice of President Donald Trump, will leave her post at the end of this month. Appointed at 27 as the youngest press secretary in White House history, Leavitt returned to work after giving birth to her second child in May but ultimately decided to leave to spend more time with her two young children.

Trump announced her departure Wednesday on his social media platform Truth Social.

Trump said her leaving would allow her to devote more time to "her beautiful young children and family," adding, "I fully understand and respect her decision."

However, her ties to Trump are not severing entirely. Trump said Leavitt will serve as one of his senior outside advisers after stepping down and will help support the Republican effort in the November midterm elections.

"Karoline will now be one of my Senior Outside Advisers and an influential voice within the Republican Party," Trump said, adding that they would work together to secure a decisive midterm victory against the historical trend of the party in power losing seats in midterm elections.

Trump also praised her record, saying, "Karoline was a true leader at the White House," and crediting her with "incredible results fighting for justice and freedom since 2018, including the historic 2024 re-election campaign. Thank you, Karoline, for a job well done."

Leavitt also addressed her departure directly on her X account.

"After returning to the White House following the birth of my daughter, I realized that I could not give the relentless time, energy and attention that the role of White House press secretary demands while also being the best mom my two young children deserve," she said.

"That is ultimately why I made the bittersweet decision to leave the White House and begin a new chapter of my life," she added.

Leavitt first drew national attention when Trump, following his 2024 presidential election victory, named her press secretary — making her, at 27, the youngest person ever to hold the position. A loyal Trump ally, she had previously worked in the press secretary's office during his first term, then served as a campaign spokesperson on the front lines of media relations during the 2024 race before returning to the White House after his re-election.

At regular briefings in particular, she aggressively defended Trump's policies and statements, cementing her role as one of the defining messengers of his second administration.

Leavitt gave birth to her first child, a son, in July 2024, during the height of the presidential campaign. The father is her husband, Nicholas Riccio, a real estate developer 32 years her senior.

She gave birth to a second child, a daughter, in May. After returning from maternity leave, she concluded that balancing child-rearing with the demanding pace of the White House was not sustainable, and chose to step down.

With her move to an outside adviser role, she is expected to remain active in political circles — particularly in supporting Trump and the Republican Party's messaging strategy ahead of the November midterm elections.