Karoline Leavitt announced she will resign as White House press secretary at the end of August 2026 to spend more time with her two young children and family, following the birth of her second child in May 2026 [1, 2, 3]. Leavitt, 28, is the youngest person ever to hold the position, having begun her tenure at age 27 when Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025 [1, 4, 5].
Leavitt gave birth to her daughter Viviana in May 2026 and took maternity leave before returning to work in July [1, 2, 3]. She described her role as "the honor and adventure of a lifetime" but said the demanding time and energy requirements left her unable to be "the best mom my two young children deserve," which led to her decision to step down [1, 6].
President Donald Trump praised Leavitt as one of his "most trusted aides" and said she "will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party" after leaving the White House [1]. He reaffirmed her status as a loyal ally who worked with him for years, including as assistant press secretary and speechwriter in his first term, and as a spokesperson for his 2024 campaign [1, 5].
Leavitt’s departure, approximately three months before the November 3 midterm elections, has raised questions about who will take over Trump’s communications. No official successor has been named yet, but several candidates have been speculated, including Alina Habba, Stephen Cheung, Anna Kelly, Katie Miller, and Taylor Budowich [7, 8].
Leavitt’s tenure was marked by strong loyalty to Trump and the MAGA movement but included controversy over spreading false claims early in her term [9, 5]. She ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2022 before becoming White House press secretary in 2025 [1, 5].
Leavitt’s last day is expected to be around August 31. The new communications leadership may become clearer after the midterm elections scheduled for November 3, 2026 [1, 2, 10].
