Leavitt to Leave Post at White House, to Rejoin Trump’s MAGA Inc. as Advisor

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will step down at the end of August after serving eighteen months in the role, joining President Donald Trump’s super PAC MAGA Inc. as an outside advisor while planning to focus on her young children and family.

When Karoline Leavitt announced her departure from the West Wing on August 12, she framed the decision around the personal realities of balancing a demanding political post with raising an infant daughter and a toddler. President Donald Trump confirmed the exit in a Truth Social post, writing that his press secretary was stepping down to spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, while also noting that she would remain an influential voice within the Republican Party as the organization looks toward the midterms.

Returning to MAGA Inc. and the Midterm Strategy

Rather than stepping away from politics entirely, Leavitt is returning to MAGA Inc., the Trump-affiliated super PAC where she worked as a spokesperson prior to joining the 2024 presidential campaign. Reporting from Politico placed the organization’s war chest at $350M, providing a formidable financial vehicle as Leavitt transitions into her new capacity as a top outside advisor.

Leavitt confirmed her next professional chapter to reporters aboard Air Force One, noting that Friday’s flight to South Carolina for a rally supporting Sen. Darline Graham marked her final official trip in the briefing room. She also indicated that she plans to rejoin the administration’s orbit for the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention scheduled for September 9 and 10. You guys will still see me all the time, she told journalists.

Karoline Leavitt to Return to Trump’s MAGA Inc. After Leaving White House

Balancing High-Stakes Public Service with Motherhood

Leavitt made history upon entering the second Trump administration as its youngest press secretary. Her tenure was punctuated by high-profile moments, including returning to work just four days into maternity leave following the July 2024 assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Having given birth to her second child in May, she returned from her latest maternity leave on July 16 before ultimately concluding that the punishing schedule was unsustainable for her family.

Photo: Vanity Fair

In her departure statement posted on X, Leavitt expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve in the West Wing, travel with the president, and defend the administration’s platform. My fight is entering a new phase, but it is far from over, she wrote, characterizing the political landscape as an existential battle against an increasingly extremist Democratic Party.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Steps Down to Join Trump as Outside Advisor

Life Inside and Outside the West Wing Press Office

Leavitt’s tenure bridges a distinct era for the Trump administration’s communications strategy. While communications director Steven Cheung and the broader press shop leaned into an online, combative style often described by observers as the Barstoolification of the West Wing, Leavitt operated as an indispensable broker with the press corps. Vanity Fair noted that while she regularly defended press restrictions and traded barbs with reporters from the podium, she maintained a trusted working relationship that prevented routine briefing-room friction from descending into total chaos.

Photo: NBC News

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to Leave Role

Serving for roughly eighteen months, Leavitt leaves office as the second-longest-serving press secretary across Trump’s terms, trailing only Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who held the post for nearly two years during the first administration.

Unresolved Leadership Questions Ahead of September

As August draws to a close, the administration has not yet named a successor to take over the White House podium. During Leavitt’s previous maternity leaves, senior administration figures including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stepped in to lead briefings. With Leavitt’s departure effective at the end of the month, attention turns to the West Wing to see who will step into one of the most visible and demanding roles in Washington.