Karoline Leavitt Leaving: Who Will Replace Her?

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is stepping down from her role at the end of August 2026, President Donald Trump announced this week. The news came less than a month after Leavitt, 28, returned to the White House podium following maternity leave for the birth of her second child.

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Leavitt’s exit ends a tenure of about a year and a half as the youngest press secretary in U.S. history, and it sets off an immediate guessing game in Washington over who will take her place with the midterm elections just months away.

The timing has added to the intrigue. Leavitt’s announcement came in the middle of a separate controversy over whether the White House used reporters aboard Air Force One as a decoy during a security scare on one of the president’s recent trips, meaning her departure lands at a moment when the press operation is already under scrutiny.

Here is what we know so far about her departure, her reasons for leaving, her time as press secretary, and the names reporters have mentioned as possible successors.

What Happened: Karoline Leavitt’s Departure Announcement

Trump announced Leavitt’s planned exit in a post on Truth Social, saying she decided so she could spend more time with her two young children and family. He said he “totally” understood and respected the choice.

Leavitt confirmed the news in her own post on X shortly afterward. She described the decision as bittersweet and said she felt she could not give her children the attention they deserved while also meeting the demands of the press secretary role. She thanked Trump for the opportunity and called serving as his spokeswoman the honor of a lifetime.

Neither Trump nor Leavitt named a successor in their announcements, and the White House later told reporters that officials had not made a final decision on who would take over the podium. When asked directly about potential candidates, White House staff have largely redirected reporters back to the original posts from Trump and Leavitt rather than confirming any names.

For a White House that has leaned heavily on Leavitt as both its public face and one of the president’s closest advisors, the sudden need to fill the podium has created what several outlets have described as one of the more consequential staffing decisions of Trump’s second term, especially with control of Congress on the line in November.

Why Is Karoline Leavitt Leaving the White House?

Leavitt has pointed to family reasons as the driving factor behind her departure. She gave birth to her daughter, Viviana, on May 1 and returned to briefings on July 16 after several weeks of maternity leave. She also has a two-year-old son.

In her statement, Leavitt said that since returning from leave, she had felt she could not balance being the mother her children need with the constant demands of the press secretary job. She and her husband, a real estate developer, have two children under the age of three.

Trump said Leavitt will not leave politics altogether. He said she will become one of his top outside advisors and take on an influential role within the Republican Party as it works to hold Congress in the November midterm elections.

Leavitt’s decision also comes at a personally demanding stretch. She has two children under the age of three, a two-year-old son and a newborn daughter, and returned to full-time briefings only weeks before announcing her exit. In her own words on social media, she described the return to the podium after maternity leave as the moment that made clear to her that something had to change, framing the choice as a matter of what she owed her children rather than any disagreement with the administration.

It is worth noting that Leavitt’s departure is not being described by the White House or by Leavitt herself as tied to any policy dispute, scandal, or falling out with the president. Trump’s public comments have been consistently complimentary of her performance, and Leavitt has continued to publicly express gratitude toward him.

Karoline Leavitt’s Tenure as Press Secretary

Leavitt has served as White House press secretary since Trump returned to office in January 2025, making her the youngest person ever to hold the position. She previously ran unsuccessfully for a U.S. House seat in New Hampshire before joining Trump’s 2024 campaign.

During her time at the podium, Leavitt briefed reporters less frequently than some of her predecessors and often used the platform to push back forcefully against the traditional press corps. Her office also reshaped the briefing room by adding streaming outlets, conservative radio hosts and podcasters to the regular press pool. Some media advocates criticized the move, arguing that it aimed to reduce scrutiny of the administration.

Trump praised her performance, calling her one of the best press secretaries in the history of the office. During his first term, Trump cycled through four press secretaries, including Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Kayleigh McEnany and Stephanie Grisham, with tenures ranging from about six months to nearly two years.

Leavitt is also one of only eight women to have ever held the position of White House press secretary, a distinction she has referenced publicly while thanking Trump for the opportunity. White House communications director Steven Cheung has described her as irreplaceable, telling reporters that nobody would be able to do exactly what she did in the role.

During her maternity leave earlier this year, the White House did not name a formal interim press secretary. Instead, a rotating group of senior officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, took turns handling briefings, which some analysts have pointed to as evidence that the administration may again lean on existing officials rather than rush an outside hire.

Who Could Replace Karoline Leavitt?

The White House has not named a successor, but several names have emerged as potential candidates in the days since the announcement.

Anna Kelly

Many observers see Anna Kelly, the current principal deputy press secretary, as the most natural internal successor, and reports say she led some early betting markets tracking the decision. She previously served as national press secretary for the Republican National Committee in 2024 and has worked for the Department of Homeland Security, the Wisconsin Republican Party, and former Vice President Mike Pence’s office. At 29, Kelly is a regular presence on Fox News and other cable outlets defending the administration, and as principal deputy she is already familiar with the day-to-day operations of running the briefing room.

Alina Habba

Alina Habba, a former personal attorney to Trump who briefly— served as acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey, has reportedly emerged as an early frontrunner and currently serves as senior advisor to the attorney general for U.S. attorneys. She joined Trump’s legal team in 2021 and became a prominent public defender of the president during his 2024 hush money trial, which resulted in his conviction on 34 felony counts. Some observers consider her long-standing closeness to Trump during years of legal battles an advantage for a role that requires the president’s complete trust.

Steven Cheung

White House communications director Steven Cheung is also seen as a contender. He already handles many press secretary-style duties, including regular contact with reporters and shaping the administration’s messaging strategy, and has been one of the more visible defenders of Leavitt’s record since the announcement.

Katie Miller

Katie Miller, a former aide to Elon Musk at the Department of Government Efficiency and the wife of deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, has been mentioned as well. Miller has since taken on a media role hosting her own political podcast, which some see as evidence of an interest in staying in a public-facing communications position. Stephen Miller has declined to comment publicly on the speculation surrounding his wife.

Other Names in the Mix

Additional names floated by various outlets include Breitbart Washington bureau chief Matthew Boyle, who has interviewed Trump extensively, including a recent Oval Office sit-down; U.S. Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley, a former journalist; former political commentator Scott Jennings; Kennedy Center public relations vice president Roma Daravi; the president’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump; and White House aide Natalie Harp. Several administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, filled in at the podium during Leavitt’s maternity leave, but the White House has not confirmed any of them as her permanent replacement.

Former Trump press secretary Sean Spicer, who himself withdrew his name from consideration for a second turn in the role, told reporters he expects the next pick to be someone already close to the president, given how central the position has become to shaping Trump’s public message. Prediction markets such as Kalshi have listed several of these names as traders speculate on the outcome, though such markets reflect public betting activity rather than any confirmed decision from the White House.

What Happens Next

Leavitt is expected to remain in her post through the end of August 2026, giving the White House several weeks to settle on a replacement. With the midterm elections approaching in November, the administration is likely to prioritize a candidate who can step into the role with minimal disruption to its messaging operation, since a new press secretary would have only a short runway to get up to speed before the campaign season intensifies.

The White House has not provided a formal timeline for the announcement and says officials have not made a final decision yet. Because reporters and commentators have quickly raised and then dropped several names, readers should treat every potential successor as speculation until Trump or the White House press office confirms a choice directly.

Why This Matters

The press secretary role has become one of the most visible jobs in American politics, serving as the daily bridge between the White House and the public. Under Leavitt, the position also evolved into something closer to a political advisor and surrogate than a traditional spokesperson, which means her successor is likely to face similar expectations. Whoever takes over will need to manage daily media relations while the administration heads into a high-stakes midterm election cycle, making the choice consequential well beyond the briefing room itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: When is Karoline Leavitt leaving the White House?

Leavitt is expected to leave her role as press secretary at the end of August 2026.

Q2: Why is Karoline Leavitt resigning?

Leavitt has said she is stepping down to spend more time with her two young children after finding it difficult to balance motherhood with the demands of the press secretary role.

Q3: Who is the frontrunner to replace Karoline Leavitt?

No official successor has been named. Principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly and former Trump attorney Alina Habba are among the names most frequently mentioned by reporters covering the White House.

Q4: Will Karoline Leavitt still work with the Trump administration?

Yes. Trump has said Leavitt will become one of his top outside advisors and take on a role helping Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections.

Q5: Is Karoline Leavitt the youngest press secretary in history?

Yes. Leavitt, 28, is the youngest person ever to serve as White House press secretary.

Editorial Note

This article reflects information confirmed as of mid-August 2026. No successor to Karoline Leavitt had been named at the time of publication. This story may be updated as new developments are confirmed.