Karoline Leavitt to step down from White House role

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | 14th August 2026 | Moves, Washington

The press secretary will be leaving her post at the end of the month

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is stepping down from her role at the end of August. Leavitt, who is the youngest ever in her role, is leaving to spend more time with her family and children. This comes after she announced the birth of her second baby, Viviana, in May.

President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Wednesday that: “[Leavitt] will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party, as we work to defy history and conclusively win the midterm elections.”

Leavitt and her partner, real estate developer Nicholas Riccio, welcomed their first child “Niko” in July 2024. The couple got married the following January.

Leavitt posted on X: “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.

“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.”

Trump had four press secretaries during his first term: Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham and Kayleigh McEnany. However, in his second and current term Leavitt has served as Trump’s sole press secretary, though she was on …

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