Leavitt Steps Down as White House Press Secretary: Who Will the Administration Target as a Successor?
By Easton Martin | August 12, 2026
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will step away from her post at the end of August, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday on Truth Social. The departure of the 28-year-old press chief, who became the youngest person to ever hold the role when appointed in January 2025, comes less than three months before the pivotal 2026 midterm elections.
Trump stated that Leavitt is stepping aside to focus on her young family. Leavitt gave birth to her second child, a daughter named Viviana, in May and recently returned from maternity leave.
In a statement shared on social media, Leavitt explained that balancing the rigorous, around-the-clock demands of the briefing room with raising two young children led to her decision. While she is exiting the West Wing, Trump noted that she will remain in his inner circle as a key outside adviser and prominent Republican voice.
Leavitt’s tenure was defined by her firm defense of the administration’s policies and a return to consistent press briefings. Before her appointment as Press Secretary, she served as a press aide during Trump’s first term, worked for Representative Elise Stefanik, ran a congressional campaign in New Hampshire, and served as national press secretary for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
