White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to step down at month's end

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the role, will leave at the end of the month, US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday.

Leavitt, 28, the youngest ever US presidential top spokesperson, has been a fiercely loyal Trump defender, delivering fluent and aggressive performances at often combative press briefings.

"Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trusted aides, Karoline Leavitt, will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family," Trump said on social media.

He said Leavitt “will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect! Karoline 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 recently returned to work after taking leave following the birth of her second child, a daughter, in May. She also has a two-year-old son.

"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 — and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life,” Leavitt said in a post on X.

Trump did not outline plans for who might replace her in the high-profile role.

Leavitt's departure comes as Trump faces steadily sinking poll numbers and the Republican Party risks defeat in the November midterm congressional elections.

She worked as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign.

In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to incumbent Democratic Representative Chris Pappas.

During Trump’s first term in office, Leavitt worked as a press aide in the White House press office.

She then became communications director for New York Republican Representative Elise Stefanik.

"I have relished holding the liberal media accountable and ensuring the American people hear the truth about President Trump’s successes," she said.