President Donald Trump said Leavitt will now be one of his “top advisers.”
President Donald Trump announced that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will be stepping down from her role at the end of August. NBC News' Monica Alba reports on the announcement and Leavitt's time in the role.
Karoline Leavitt will be stepping down from her role as White House press secretary at the end of the month, President Trump announced Wednesday in a Truth Social post.The big picture: Leavitt is leaving to spend more time with her family, the president said. A member of Trump's team who followed him from his presidential campaign to the White House, she's been a fiercely loyal face of the White House.Driving the news: Trump said in the surprise post that Leavitt will become one of his top outside advisers and "an influential voice within the Republican Party" heading into the midterm elections.Leavitt, 28, said in a post that being a mother and welcoming a new baby while serving as press secretary "has been the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least."She continued, "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."When reached for comment, the White House pointed to statements made by Leavitt and Trump.The big picture: Leavitt made headlines for being the youngest White House press secretary to hold the role.She defended the White House through multiple controversies and the biggest stories of the president's second term so far, including the Signalgate scandal, the release of the Epstein files and the Iran war.Even in her statement announcing her departure, she took aim at Democrats that she said seek "to destroy everything great about America."Leavitt also backed the Trump administration's tightening of press coverage, telling Axios last year that the administration wanted to expand access — opening the press corps to influencers and MAGA-friendly voices — and not limit it.Context: The president directly chooses the White House press secretary, a position that does not require Senate confirmation.Trump had four press secretaries during his first term.Editor's note: This story was updated throughout with additional information.
Trump said Leavitt will depart to spend more time with her family.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will depart her role later this month, a move that will deprive President Donald Trump of his top spokesperson less than three months until the November midterm elections.
President Trump said Karoline Leavitt will be leaving her role to focus on her young family.
Leavitt, the youngest White House press secretary ever, gave birth in May to a girl, her second child.
'Our country is facing an existential threat from an increasingly extremist Democrat Party that seeks to destroy everything great about America. My fight is entering a new phase, but it is far from over'
‘so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family’
