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Karoline Leavitt Resigns White House Press Secretary Post to Spend Time with Family

Politics10 sourcesAug 16, 2026
ContestedRigor 5210 sources

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, announced her resignation to spend more time with her family. Leavitt, who gave birth to her second child in May, recently returned from maternity leave on July 16. President Donald Trump praised her, calling her one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office and highlighting her fight for "Justice, Liberty, and Freedom, since 2018, including our Historic Re-Election Campaign of 2024." Leavitt described her role as the honor and adventure of a lifetime. She was the youngest person appointed to the position. Her departure is drawing new attention to presidential communications and the responsibilities of press secretaries. White House insiders described the administration's environment as exhausting and a meat-grinder where work-life balance is non-existent, according to the Daily Mail. One person close to President Trump expressed concern about the administration's future without Leavitt and Susie Wiles, stating they were the only two women who could appease Trump and challenge him. Leavitt's decision reportedly came as a surprise, according to CNN's Alayna Treene. She is the fifth high-profile female staffer to leave or be ousted since March of this year, following Tulsi Gabbard, Pam Bondi, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Kristi Noem. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung lashed out at Daily Beast Chief Content Officer Joanna Coles with a slur after Coles and Executive Editor Hugh Dougherty discussed Leavitt's exit. CNN's Pamela Brown defended Leavitt's reasons for leaving as pretty legit.

What they agree on

  • Karoline Leavitt has resigned from her position as White House press secretary.
  • Leavitt stated her reason for resigning is to spend more time with her family.
  • President Donald Trump praised Karoline Leavitt following her resignation.
  • Leavitt was the youngest person to be appointed as White House press secretary.
  • Her departure has drawn attention to the nature of presidential communications and the White House work environment.

Where they split

  • The Daily Mail and The Daily Beast focus on White House insider accounts describing the work environment as "exhausting" and a "meat-grinder," and expressing concern over Leavitt's departure.
  • PJ Media emphasizes Leavitt's performance as press secretary, with one article calling her "the GOAT of White House Press Secretaries" and another praising her as "Trump's Happy Warrior."
  • Raw Story and The Daily Beast highlight a White House aide's use of a slur against a journalist discussing Leavitt's exit, framing it as a "meltdown."