Karoline Leavitt Will Resign as White House Press Secretary To Spend More Time at Home With Her Husband and Their ‘Beautiful Children’

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will stand down from her position within a matter of days in order to spend more time at home with her husband, Nicholas Riccio, and their "beautiful children," President Donald Trump has announced.

Trump shared the news in a post on his Truth Social account, where he said he "fully understands and respects" her decision.

"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!" he wrote.

The president went on to note that Leavitt, 28, will continue to serve as an adviser to his administration, adding that she will remain an "influential voice within the Republican Party."

"Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party, as we work to defy History, and conclusively win the Midterm Elections," he added. "Karoline has been a real leader in the White House, and has done a phenomenal job fighting for Justice, Liberty, and Freedom, since 2018, including our Historic Re-Election Campaign of 2024.

"Karoline has been one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office. Thank you, Karoline, for a job well done! President DONALD J. TRUMP."

The news comes just a few weeks after Leavitt welcomed her second child with Riccio, 60, a baby girl named Viviana. They also share a son, Niko.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will stand down from her position within a matter of days in order to spend more time at home with her husband, Nicholas Riccio, and their "beautiful children," President Donald Trump has announced. (Getty Images) Leavitt, 28, shares two children with Riccio, 60: son Niko, 2, and daughter Viviana, who was born in May. (Bloomberg via Getty Images) She returned to her job at the White House less than two months after Viviana was born. (karolineleavitt/Instagram)

In a statement posted on her X account, Leavitt shared some insight into her decision, explaining that balancing her role as a mother with "one of the most demanding jobs in the world" has been both "rewarding" and "challenging."

She added that, since returning to the White House from maternity leave, she has realized that she cannot fully commit herself to being the mother that her children "deserve," while also giving the job her all.

"Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime," she began.

"I am incredibly grateful to President Trump for granting me so many extraordinary opportunities, such as working in the West Wing and spending countless hours in the Oval Office, flying around the world and meeting foreign leaders, and traveling across our beautiful country and meeting Americans from all walks of life."

She then expressed her gratitude to the president for trusting her to take on such a prominent position, before noting: "Being a mother and welcoming a new baby while working in one of the most demanding jobs in the world has been the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least.

"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—and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life."

Echoing Trump, she made clear her intention to continue working with him as an outside adviser, before offering thanks to the president, first lady Melania Trump, and chief of staff Susie Wiles, as well as the other members of the administration.

Finally, she paid tribute to her husband and her family for enabling her to do the job.

"Thank you most especially to my loving and supportive husband and family for the sacrifices they made for me to serve in this role," she said.

Leavitt, who is the youngest person to assume the role of White House press secretary, has been in the job since Trump returned to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. following the 2024 election.

Previously, she served as the official spokesperson for his presidential campaign.

She is widely known as one of the most trusted members of the president's inner circle and has become synonymous with his administration due to her White House press briefings, which have earned dozens of headlines over the past two years.

However, Leavitt has previously admitted that her job, though rewarding, does take a toll on her life at home, while praising Riccio for taking on parenting duties whenever she needs to be at work.

Trump shared the news in a post on his Truth Social account, where he said he "fully understands and respects" her decision. (karolineleavitt/Instagram) The president noted that Leavitt, 28, will continue to serve as an adviser to his administration. (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images) It is unclear whether Leavitt's resignation means she and Riccio will relocate back to their home state of New Hampshire full time, having moved to DC for her job. (Instagram/Karoline Leavitt)

In June, soon after her return to work, the mother of two explained during an appearance on "Fox & Friends" that her husband had stayed up with their daughter the previous night to ensure that she got plenty of rest before her early-morning TV gig.

Having been introduced by host Ainsley Earhardt, who described the mother of two as the "hardest working mom in the United States of America," Leavitt proceeded to gush about her partner—and her family of four.

"Baby's good, she's perfect," she began. "I was telling y'all before we joined that my husband watched her overnight last night so I could get some sleep, so I know what I'm talking about this morning. So I'm feeling good."

After Earhardt noted that having a baby girl is "so special," Leavitt added: "She's a sweetheart, and her big brother is doing well, too. She'll be 2 months this week, and he'll be 2 this week as well. I can't believe I have two under 2."

Leavitt announced the arrival of her daughter in a sweet Instagram post on May 7, in which she could be seen cradling the baby while standing in her pink nursery.

"On May 1st, Viviana aka 'Vivi' joined our family, and our hearts instantly exploded with love," she wrote alongside the sweet snap, which featured Leavitt sporting a pink sweater to match the decor of the space.

"She is perfect and healthy, and her big brother is joyfully adjusting to life with his new baby sister. We are enjoying every moment in our blissful newborn bubble.

"Thank you to everyone who reached out with prayers during my pregnancy—I truly felt them throughout the entire experience. God is Good."

During her maternity leave, Leavitt shared several online updates, including a heartfelt Mother's Day post in which she could be seen posing with her daughter and her mom on the terrace at her DC-area abode, where she and her husband have been living with their kids since the start of Trump's second term.

However, she revealed in a June 8 post that she and her family had spent at least some of the month of May in her native New Hampshire, where they had a chance to visit the local beaches and spend time with loved ones.

Leavitt and Riccio are both from New Hampshire—where he owns a successful real estate investment business—and were living there when they met. While they still own a property there, they also snapped up a DC residence so that Leavitt could be closer to the White House.

It is unclear whether Leavitt and Riccio will now move back to New Hampshire permanently, or if they will continue to maintain a residence in DC.

The press secretary has previously opened up about her struggle to maintain a balance between her home life and her professional obligations. (karolineleavitt/Instagram) Leavitt has been in the role of White House press secretary since January 2025. (TikTok/Kate Mackz) It is currently unclear when Leavitt's last day on duty will be. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The press secretary has previously opened up about her struggle to maintain a balance between her home life and her professional obligations, admitting in a November 2025 interview with the Daily Mail that she had "PTSD about making plans" because she'd had to cancel so many date nights with her husband.

"Honestly, I have PTSD about making plans, so I just don't," she said. "We just roll with it. If there's a night where I happen to become free, then we take full advantage of that as a family."

She admitted that she and Riccio had been forced to cancel three "mini weekend getaway vacations" last summer because of "foreign policy events," although she did not specify which events those were.

"But that's part of the job, and it's what makes it fun and challenging and keeps every day new," she added. "And it's, you know, it's temporary. We're one year down. We got three to go."

And while her dating life with her husband may have suffered as a result of her job, she insisted that Trump and her other bosses at the White House have made sure that she is able to prioritize her role as a mother, no matter what else is going on at work.

"My priority is to always make it home for my kids' bedtime," she said. "I leave at a more reasonable hour than people may think, because that's sort of the line I've drawn to get home and cook dinner and go through the bedtime routine and be a mom."

Leavitt also lifted the lid on the other aspects of her daily routine, telling the publication that she usually began her press briefings at 5 a.m., although she was finding time thrice weekly for a 5:30 a.m. workout, which usually involved a weight-lifting session in the White House gym.

From there, she would move to her office, where she'd comb through the morning's newspapers, while watching ongoing coverage on all the major news networks, noting that she focused her efforts largely on Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN.

Daily check-ins with the president are also an essential part of her day, helping to shape the narrative that she then shares with the world's media from the White House briefing room.

On her rare days off, Leavitt said she focused on spending time with her husband and son at their home in Northern Virginia, and also attending church, noting that "faith is at the center of our home and our marriage and raising a child."