Karoline Leavitt, the youngest White House press secretary in history, confirmed she will return to the Trump-aligned super PAC MAGA Inc. after leaving her post, a move that leaves one of the administration's most visible roles unfilled.
Leavitt broke the news to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday, describing the flight as her last in an official capacity. She did not specify what title or responsibilities she would hold at MAGA Inc., where she previously served as a spokesperson before joining Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. Fox News Digital reported that a source familiar with her plans said she "will engage in other opportunities yet to be announced." MAGA Inc. did not respond to a request for comment.
President Trump announced earlier that Leavitt would leave the White House at the end of August to spend more time with her family. He has not named a replacement.
In a lengthy post on X, Leavitt called her departure a "bittersweet decision." She said she concluded she could not balance the demands of the press secretary role with being the mother she wants to be to her two young children. Leavitt gave birth to a daughter named Viviana in May, the Washington Examiner reported, and cited the strain of returning to one of the most demanding jobs in Washington while raising a newborn and a toddler.
Leavitt wrote on X:
"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."
She had returned to duty just eight weeks after giving birth, rejoining the president aboard Air Force One at the time. That quick turnaround drew attention, and her decision now to step back suggests the pace proved unsustainable even for someone who clearly relished the job.
Leavitt also posted that her time behind the podium had been "the honor and adventure of a lifetime." She told reporters Friday not to count her out of the public eye.
"You guys will still see me all the time."
Trump spoke highly of Leavitt's performance. He called her "one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office" and announced she would continue as a top outside advisor to the administration. Leavitt, for her part, said she would remain an advocate for the MAGA movement and the Republican Party.
At 28, Leavitt had already built a resume that most political operatives twice her age would envy. She became the youngest person ever to hold the press secretary title when Trump returned to office in January 2025, and she held the job for roughly a year and a half. Before that, she served as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc. and then moved to Trump's 2024 campaign, a trajectory that took her from super PAC communications work to the White House briefing room in under two years.
Her departure now brings her full circle, back to the organization where her national profile first took shape.
Leavitt's exit creates a high-profile gap in the White House communications operation at a moment when the administration faces no shortage of complex messaging challenges, from ongoing foreign policy decisions to domestic policy fights heading into the midterm stretch.
Trump has not said who will step into the role. Speculation initially turned to Alina Habba, but she shut that down quickly. Habba ruled herself out, shifting attention to other potential candidates.
Leavitt's departure also follows other recent changes in the White House press shop. The deputy press secretary departed in a broader reshuffling of the communications team, meaning whoever takes the podium next will likely be rebuilding parts of the operation, not just stepping into a warm seat.
The unnamed source who confirmed Leavitt's MAGA Inc. plans hinted at additional roles beyond the super PAC, but offered no details. What those "other opportunities" look like, and whether they keep Leavitt in front of cameras or move her behind the scenes, remains an open question.
Few people leave the White House press secretary job on good terms with the boss and with a clear next move already lined up. Leavitt managed both. Whether her successor can match the pace she set is now the administration's problem to solve.
