Karoline Leavitt to step down as White House press secretary at end of month

By AP 13 August 2026, 2:37 am

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, July 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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

Leavitt, who served Trump as a press aide during his first term in the White House, has been one of the most visible advocates of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement. The Republican president describes her as one of his “most trusted aides” in a social media post announcing her departure.

He says 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.”