Karoline Leavitt made history as the youngest White House Press Secretary in U.S. history, and she’s back in headlines right now for a much bigger reason: she just announced she’s leaving the job. Here’s the full, verified picture of who she is, how she got to the podium, and exactly what’s confirmed about her exit as of today.
Background
Karoline Leavitt is an American political spokesperson who has served as the White House Press Secretary since January 2025, working under President Donald Trump. She holds the distinction of being the 36th person to hold that job and the youngest person of any gender to ever do it, taking the podium at just 27 years old when she started.
Before stepping into that role, Leavitt built her career inside Trump’s political operation. She worked as a spokeswoman for MAGA Inc., the super PAC supporting Trump, and later became press secretary for his 2024 presidential campaign. She also ran for public office herself in 2022, seeking the Republican nomination for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, though she lost that primary race. People search for her name constantly because she is one of the most visible faces of the current administration, appearing at the briefing room podium on camera almost daily to answer questions from reporters and defend the president’s policies.
Latest Update
President Trump announced on August 12, 2026, that Karoline Leavitt will be stepping down as White House Press Secretary at the end of the month. He made the announcement in a post on Truth Social, saying Leavitt would be leaving to spend more time with her two young children and family, a decision he said he “totally” understands and respects. He added that she will stay involved with the administration as an outside adviser and as an influential voice within the Republican Party heading into the November midterm elections.
Leavitt confirmed the news herself, describing the job as “the honor and adventure of a lifetime,” while also explaining that since the birth of her second child, she has felt she could not be the mother she wants to be while also handling the constant demands of the press secretary role. She had only recently returned to the podium on July 16, 2026, after taking maternity leave.
✅ Confirmed fact: This is not a rumor. It has been independently reported by CNN, NPR, Bloomberg, NBC News, The Washington Post, and Axios, all citing Trump’s own public statement and Leavitt’s own public remarks.
No successor has been named yet as of this date. Several Cabinet secretaries filled in for Leavitt at the podium during her maternity leave earlier this year, but the White House has not said who will take over permanently once she departs at the end of August.
Full Profile
Family and Early Life
Karoline Claire Leavitt was born on August 24, 1997, in Atkinson, New Hampshire. She was the third and youngest child of Bob and Erin Leavitt. Her family ran an ice cream stand in Atkinson, and her father owned a used truck dealership in the nearby town of Plaistow. She grew up in New Hampshire and has stayed closely tied to the state throughout her political career, including her unsuccessful 2022 congressional run there.
Career Path
Leavitt’s career moved quickly through Republican political circles. She worked as a spokeswoman for the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc., then became press secretary for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. After Trump won re-election, he named her as his White House Press Secretary in November 2024, and she officially took the role when he was sworn in on January 20, 2025. At the podium, she became known for being combative with reporters and for openly criticizing outlets she viewed as biased against the administration.
Age
As of August 2026, Karoline Leavitt is 28 years old, based on her confirmed birth date of August 24, 1997.
Religion
Leavitt’s specific religious affiliation has not been detailed in verified, sourced reporting, so this remains unconfirmed rather than assumed.
Spouse/Partner
Leavitt is married to Nicholas Riccio, a New Hampshire real estate developer. The two met in 2022 during her congressional campaign, got engaged in December 2023, and married in January 2025, just before Trump’s second inauguration. There is a well-documented 32-year age gap between them, which Leavitt has addressed directly in interviews, describing Riccio as her opposite in personality and calling him supportive of her career.
Net Worth
Public estimates of Leavitt’s net worth vary widely across different outlets, generally landing somewhere around several million dollars when her political career, media work, and reported real estate holdings are factored in. Because there is no official financial disclosure figure that all sources agree on, this article treats any single specific dollar amount as an estimate rather than a confirmed fact.
Parents
Leavitt’s parents are Bob and Erin Leavitt. Beyond their names and their small business background in Atkinson, New Hampshire, detailed public information about them is limited.
Height
Leavitt’s exact height has not been confirmed through any verified, sourced reporting, so no specific figure is given here.
Education
Leavitt earned a bachelor’s degree from Saint Anselm College, a private college in Manchester, New Hampshire. Her time there helped shape her early involvement in conservative politics before she moved into national political work.
Hometown/State of Origin
Leavitt is from Atkinson, New Hampshire, and has remained closely connected to the state, including through her 2022 run for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District.
Official Social Media
Leavitt maintains a public presence on X (formerly Twitter), where she has posted official statements, including remarks tied to her departure announcement. You can follow her verified account at the official White House Press Secretary X account, which she has used throughout her time in the role.
💡 Quick tip: Once Leavitt formally leaves the role at the end of August, the @PressSec account will likely transfer to whoever succeeds her, so her personal statements may shift to a different, personal account going forward.
Timeline of Key Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 24, 1997 | Born in Atkinson, New Hampshire |
| 2022 | Runs for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District; loses Republican primary |
| 2023–2024 | Serves as press secretary for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign |
| December 2023 | Gets engaged to Nicholas Riccio |
| November 2024 | Named incoming White House Press Secretary by President-elect Trump |
| January 2025 | Marries Nicholas Riccio; days later, sworn in as the 36th White House Press Secretary |
| July 16, 2026 | Returns to the podium after maternity leave |
| August 12, 2026 | Trump announces she is stepping down at the end of the month |
Reader Questions (FAQ)
Is Karoline Leavitt leaving the White House?
Yes. President Trump confirmed on August 12, 2026, that Leavitt will step down as White House Press Secretary at the end of August 2026. She will reportedly remain involved as an outside adviser to the administration.
Why is Karoline Leavitt stepping down?
She has said she wants to spend more time with her two young children after recently returning from maternity leave. She stated she felt she could not fully be the mother she wants to be while also handling the nonstop demands of the press secretary job.
Who is Karoline Leavitt’s husband?
She is married to Nicholas Riccio, a New Hampshire real estate developer. The couple met in 2022, got engaged in December 2023, and married in January 2025.
How old is Karoline Leavitt?
Leavitt was born on August 24, 1997, making her 28 years old as of August 2026.
How many children does Karoline Leavitt have?
She and her husband have two children together, a son born in 2024 and a daughter born in 2026, based on her own public statements about her family.
Who will replace Karoline Leavitt as press secretary?
As of August 13, 2026, no successor has been officially named. The White House has not announced who will take over the role once Leavitt departs at the end of the month.
What did Karoline Leavitt do before becoming press secretary?
She worked as a spokeswoman for the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc. and then served as press secretary for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign before being named White House Press Secretary.
Wrap-Up
Karoline Leavitt’s story is really two stories at once: a fast political rise that made her the youngest person ever to run the White House press operation, and now a personal decision to step back from that role while her children are still very young. Both parts are fully documented and confirmed by multiple credible news organizations, which is worth pointing out given how much speculation tends to circulate around any high-profile political figure’s exit.
What happens next is genuinely unclear, and that’s fine to say plainly. No successor has been named, and neither Trump nor Leavitt has laid out exactly what her new advisory role will look like day to day. Readers who want to stay current on this story should watch for an official White House announcement about her replacement, since that detail hasn’t been settled as of this writing.
For now, the confirmed facts stand on their own: Leavitt made history in the role, she’s leaving it at the end of August 2026 on her own stated terms, and she plans to stay active in Republican politics even after she leaves the podium behind.
John Wood is the founder and lead editor of Biography Region. He researches and writes accurate, engaging biographies of celebrities, entrepreneurs, influencers, and public figures, delivering well-sourced, reader-focused content that informs and inspires.