White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her position at the end of August, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday, ending the 28-year-old’s tenure as the youngest person ever to hold the high-profile post.
Leavitt said the decision came after returning from maternity leave following the May birth of her second child. Trump said she will remain one of his top outside advisers and an influential Republican voice as the party heads toward the 2026 midterm elections.
Leavitt Announces Her Departure
Leavitt announced the decision Wednesday in a post on X, writing that serving as press secretary had been “the honor and adventure of a lifetime,” while explaining that becoming a mother of two changed how she viewed the demands of the job.
Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime. I am incredibly grateful to President Trump for granting me so many extraordinary opportunities, such as working in the West Wing and spending countless hours… https://t.co/4jyW61DGGh pic.twitter.com/xny1yccuBn
— Karoline Leavitt (@karolineleavitt) August 12, 2026
Trump announced the departure separately, describing Leavitt as “one of my most trusted aides.”
“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,” Trump added.
Trump has not announced a successor.
From New Hampshire to the White House
Leavitt’s rise in national politics has been unusually fast.
A New Hampshire native, she attended Saint Anselm College and entered the Trump administration during his first term as an assistant press secretary. She later became communications director for Rep. Elise Stefanik and served as national press secretary for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
In 2022, Leavitt ran for Congress in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District. She won the Republican primary before losing the general election to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.
Trump selected her for the White House press secretary position in November 2024, when she was 27. In its original coverage of Trump’s selection, The Dallas Express reported that the appointment would make Leavitt the youngest person in U.S. history to hold the job.
She formally assumed the position when Trump returned to office on January 20, 2025.
A Different Approach to the White House Briefing Room
One of Leavitt’s most consequential changes involved who could participate in White House press briefings.
During her first briefing on January 28, 2025, Leavitt announced that the administration would expand access to independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers, and other digital media organizations.
“We’re also opening up this briefing room to new media voices who produce news-related content and whose outlet is not already represented by one of the seats in this room,” Leavitt said during the briefing.
She also announced plans to restore the press passes of 440 journalists whose credentials she said had been revoked by the previous administration.
The White House transcript of Leavitt’s first briefing records the changes and her announcement that a designated “new media” seat would be established in the briefing room.
The move marked a significant change in the administration’s approach to media access, particularly as news consumption increasingly extends beyond traditional newspapers and television networks.
Leavitt also became a frequent public defender of Trump’s policies, addressing subjects ranging from immigration and foreign policy to economic policy and disputes with news organizations.
The Dallas Express Has Followed Her White House Tenure
Leavitt has appeared repeatedly in The Dallas Express‘s national coverage during her time in office.
In December 2025, The Dallas Express reported on Leavitt’s pregnancy and quoted then-Trump daughter-in-law Lara Trump saying, “Karoline Leavitt is a machine. She’s incredible. And she’s going nowhere.” The article noted that the White House expected Leavitt to remain in the position despite her pregnancy.
That proved to be temporary only in the sense of her maternity leave.
In April, The Dallas Express reported that Leavitt was preparing to give birth to her second child while remaining White House press secretary.
On May 7, The Dallas Express reported that Leavitt had given birth to Viviana, her second child, on May 1. She became the first White House press secretary to give birth while serving in the position.
Leavitt returned to the White House briefing room in July after her maternity leave, but her return lasted only several weeks before Wednesday’s announcement.
One of Her Final Major Moments Came After a White House Shooting
Leavitt’s tenure also included one of the administration’s most serious security incidents.
On April 25, a gunman opened fire outside the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton, where Trump and Leavitt were present. A Secret Service agent was struck by a bullet but was not seriously injured, according to The Dallas Express‘ contemporaneous coverage.
Leavitt returned from maternity leave early to address reporters about the shooting. She said she believed returning was “prudent” given the circumstances, The Dallas Express reported.
The episode illustrated the unusual range of responsibilities handled by the press secretary, from routine policy briefings to communicating with the public during major security incidents.
What Happens Next?
Leavitt is expected to remain in the position through the end of August. Trump has not announced who will replace her.
Her departure therefore creates an immediate vacancy in one of the administration’s most visible communications positions with the 2026 midterm elections approaching. The Federal Election Commission lists November 3, 2026, as the next regularly scheduled federal general election.
Although Leavitt is leaving the government post, Trump has made clear that he does not intend for her to leave his political circle. Her new role as an outside adviser is expected to keep her involved in Republican politics and the administration’s political messaging ahead of the November elections.
For Leavitt, the move represents a shift rather than a complete departure from national politics: She will leave the White House podium, but, according to the President, remain close to the President and involved in the Republican Party’s efforts leading into the midterms.
