President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Karoline Leavitt will leave her post as White House press secretary at the end of the month and assume a senior advisory role, the president said in a post on his social media platform.
Move to advisory role
In a statement on Truth Social, Mr Trump said that Ms Leavitt — who became the 36th White House press secretary last year — would “be one of my top advisers, and an influential voice within the Republican party”. He praised her record and said he understood her decision to depart so she could spend more time with her family.
“Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trusted aides, Karoline 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!”
Mr Trump added that Ms Leavitt had been “a real leader in the White House” and said she had done a “phenomenal job fighting for Justice, Liberty, and Freedom, since 2018, including our Historic Re-Election Campaign of 2024.”
Leavitt’s account and background
Ms Leavitt posted on X that serving as White House press secretary over the past year and a half had been the “honour and adventure of a lifetime”, saying she was grateful for opportunities to work in the West Wing, spend time in the Oval Office, meet foreign leaders and travel around the country.
The president’s announcement frames the change as a step back from daily briefings to a broader political role within the party. The office of the White House press secretary is the administration’s principal channel for daily communications with the media, and changes at the top of that office are closely watched for how they may alter White House messaging and press relations.
Controversies and public profile
Ms Leavitt has been a high-profile and combative figure in relations with the press. The source material records several episodes that have attracted attention. In October, she responded to a HuffPost reporter’s question with what was reported as a “your mom” joke. In July she told Fox News that younger generations, including Gen Z, had been “raised with just silver spoons in their mouths” and were accustomed to “getting everything handed to them”, remarks that drew criticism in media coverage.
Her social media and broadcast appearances have been described in the source reporting as aligning closely with the president’s views and as strongly critical of Democrats. In her announcement, Ms Leavitt warned of what she characterised as an “extremist” Democratic Party, saying it presented an existential threat to the country — a line echoed in Mr Trump’s praise for her work on behalf of conservative causes.
What happens next
The president said Ms Leavitt will become a top adviser; the report does not set out details of that new role or whether there will be an immediate successor named to lead the White House communications team for day-to-day briefings. Transitions in the press office can alter both tone and access between the administration and journalists.
- End of month: Ms Leavitt to step down as press secretary.
- New role: Move to a senior advisory position within the Republican party, according to Mr Trump.
- Tenure: Served as White House press secretary for about a year and a half, and worked with Mr Trump since 2018, the president said.
| Detail | Source report |
|---|---|
| Press secretary number | 36th |
| Reported tenure | About a year and a half as press secretary; involvement with the president since 2018 |
Ms Leavitt’s departure will be monitored closely in Washington. Observers will be looking for clarity about who will handle the administration’s daily press engagements, and how the shift may affect the White House’s public messaging ahead of a politically charged period for the Republican party.
