White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to step down at end of month
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will step down at the end of the month to focus on her family, US President Donald Trump announced.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will step down at the end of the month to spend more time with her family, US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social. Leavitt, 28, recently returned from parental leave after giving birth to her second child on May 1.
In a post on X, Leavitt called her tenure "an honor and an adventure," noting the difficulty of balancing her duties with motherhood. Trump stated he fully respected her choice and announced she would transition into a key role as an external adviser while remaining an influential Republican voice. The administration has not yet named a replacement.
Sources: FAZ, Die Zeit, Der Standard, ORF, Der Spiegel.
How outlets assessed this
- Tagesschau Skeptical Highlighted Leavitt's tense relationship with the press corps and noted that her sudden departure has fueled speculation.
Sources
- Die Zeit — USA: US-Pressesprecherin Karoline Leavitt verlässt Weißes Haus
- ORF — Trumps Sprecherin Karoline Leavitt hört auf
- Der Standard — Trumps Sprecherin Karoline Leavitt hört mit Monatsende auf
- Der Spiegel — Karoline Leavitt: Trumps Pressesprecherin gibt Posten im Weißen Haus auf
- FAZ — USA unter Trump: Trump: Sprecherin Leavitt hört zum Monatsende auf
Earlier coverage
- Aug 13, 2026, 09:30 AM UTCWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to step down at end of month
- Aug 13, 2026, 02:00 AM UTCWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to step down