White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her position at the end of August to focus on her family, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday, marking another high-profile departure from his second-term administration.

Trump Praises Departing Press Secretary

Trump revealed the staffing change on Truth Social, calling Leavitt a real leader who has fought for justice, liberty, and freedom since joining his team in 2018. The president described her as one of the best White House press secretaries in the history of the office. Leavitt will remain as a top outside advisor and influential Republican Party voice as the administration pushes toward November’s midterm elections.

The 27-year-old press secretary welcomed her second child, daughter Viviana, in early May with her husband Nicholas Riccio. She stepped away from her duties in late April for maternity leave and returned to the podium for her first formal briefing in mid-July. Her decision to prioritize family comes as Trump’s second administration faces continued turnover among senior officials.

Latest In String Of Administration Departures

Leavitt joins a growing list of high-level Trump officials leaving the administration this year. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem were both fired from their positions. Former Labor Secretary Lori Michelle Chavez-DeRemer and Todd Lyon, who served as acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, resigned amid questions about their leadership performance.

The youngest press secretary in American history, Leavitt assumed the role at age 27 following Trump’s inauguration in 2025. She developed a combative reputation during frequent briefings, often clashing with reporters. During one early exchange with an Associated Press journalist, she said it was insulting for the reporter to test her knowledge of economics and presidential decisions.

From Intern To National Spokesperson

Leavitt’s rapid rise began as an intern in Trump’s first-term White House Office of Presidential Correspondence. By January 2021, she had become an assistant press secretary. After Trump left office in 2020, she worked for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting his movement. She ran for New Hampshire’s first congressional district in 2022, winning the Republican primary but losing to incumbent Democrat Chris Pappas in the general election.

As press secretary, Leavitt expanded the White House briefing room to include bloggers and social media influencers, giving the new media chair first question privileges. She frequently echoed Trump’s criticisms of mainstream outlets as biased against conservative voices, declaring the administration would speak to all media personalities, not just legacy organizations.