White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has announced that she will leave her role at the end of the month, saying the demands of the job had become increasingly difficult to balance with raising her two young children.
Leavitt described her time as press secretary over the past year and a half as the “honor and adventure of a lifetime,” but said her priorities changed after returning to the White House following the birth of her daughter.
President Donald Trump, in a separate statement, confirmed Leavitt’s planned departure and said she would remain part of his political circle as an outside adviser.
The move will take Leavitt out of one of the White House’s most visible positions, but not away from Trump or Republican politics.
Karoline Leavitt says motherhood played central role in decision
In her statement, Leavitt reflected on the access and responsibilities that came with serving as White House Press Secretary, including working in the West Wing, spending time in the Oval Office, traveling internationally, meeting foreign leaders and speaking for the administration from the White House podium.
She said that working for Trump in front of the media had been a special honor, as she could use her position to speak up for the government and counter any bias in the media.
Her decision to leave, however, centered largely on her family.
Leavitt said becoming a mother again while holding what she described as one of the world’s most demanding jobs had been both rewarding and difficult. Since returning to work after the birth of her daughter, she said she had increasingly felt unable to give her two young children the time and attention she believed they deserved while also meeting the constant demands of the press secretary position.
That realization, she said, ultimately led to the “bittersweet decision” to leave the White House and begin a new chapter.
Trump says Leavitt will become an outside adviser
Donald Trump praised Leavitt in his own announcement, calling her his “wonderful White House Press Secretary” and one of his most trusted aides.
He said Leavitt would depart at the end of the month to spend more time with her children and family, a decision he said he understood and respected.
Her departure will not end her association with Trump.
Trump said Leavitt would become one of his top outside advisers and remain an influential voice in the Republican Party. He also linked her future political involvement to Republican efforts surrounding the midterm elections.
Leavitt confirmed that arrangement in her own statement, saying Trump had asked her to continue serving as a top adviser from outside the White House.
She also made clear that she does not intend to withdraw from politics, saying she would remain a vocal advocate for the MAGA movement and the Republican Party.
Leavitt signals continued political role after White House exit
Although Leavitt framed the departure primarily around family considerations, her statement also pointed toward an active political role after leaving government.
She sharply criticized the Democratic Party and said she believed those who shared her political views had an obligation to continue fighting for them.
“My fight is entering a new phase, but it is far from over,” Leavitt wrote.
That line makes the nature of her departure particularly clear. She is leaving the daily responsibilities of the White House press operation, but not Trump’s broader political operation or the partisan battles surrounding it.
Trump similarly presented the move as a transition rather than a political farewell.
In his message, he credited Leavitt with work dating back to 2018, including involvement in his 2024 reelection campaign, and described her as a leader inside the White House.
He also called her one of the best White House press secretaries in the history of the office.
Leavitt thanks Trump family, Susie Wiles and White House colleagues
Leavitt used a significant portion of her farewell statement to thank the people who had worked with and supported her during her time in the administration.
She expressed gratitude to Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and the Trump family for their support over the years.
She also thanked White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, saying Wiles had empowered her since hiring her during the campaign.
Leavitt acknowledged members of Trump’s Cabinet, her own staff, White House colleagues and friends, saying it had been a privilege to serve alongside them.
She also thanked her husband and family for the sacrifices they made while she held the position.
Despite leaving her formal White House role, Leavitt said she expects to continue supporting the administration and indicated that she would be watching its work closely over the remaining two and a half years she referenced in her statement.
For Leavitt, the announcement marks a change in where she will operate rather than an exit from Trump’s political world. Her public-facing role behind the White House podium is coming to an end, but both she and Trump say their working relationship will continue from outside the administration.
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