Karoline Leavitt
Youngest-ever White House press secretary, serving from January 2025 to August 2026 and the first to give birth while holding the job. Now back with the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc., she is hosting the September 29, 2026 unveiling of the America.gov AI portal.
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- Country
- United States
- Known for
- Youngest-ever White House press secretary; served January 20, 2025 – August 27, 2026; the first press secretary to give birth while in the role
- Education
- Saint Anselm College, New Hampshire — bachelor's degree in communications and political science, 2019
- Path to the podium
- Presidential writer and assistant press secretary in Trump's first White House; communications director for Rep. Elise Stefanik; 2022 Republican nominee for New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District (lost the general election)
- 2024 campaign
- National press secretary for Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, joining in January 2024
- After the White House
- Rejoined the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc. in August 2026; hosted the September 29, 2026 America.gov AI portal launch at the Mellon Auditorium
Overview
Karoline Leavitt is the youngest person ever to serve as White House press secretary — appointed at 27 in November 2024 and in the job from Donald Trump’s second inauguration until the end of August 2026 (Associated Press). She is also the first White House press secretary in history to give birth while holding the role, and that milestone — a daughter born in May 2026 — is what ended her tenure: within weeks she concluded she could not be the mother of two young children and the press secretary at once (USA Today). Barely a month out of the briefing room she is back in Trump’s orbit — rejoining the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc., speaking at the GOP’s midterm convention, and on September 29, 2026, hosting the unveiling of America.gov, the administration’s new AI-powered federal services portal (Page Six; SoapCentral).
From New Hampshire to the West Wing
Leavitt was born on August 24, 1997, in New Hampshire and studied communications and political science at Saint Anselm College, a Catholic institution in her home state (Associated Press). While in college she interned at Fox News during the 2016 election and in Trump’s first-term White House press office — experiences she later said gave her a “first glimpse into the world of the press” (Associated Press).
After graduating in 2019 she joined the first Trump administration as a presidential writer and then an assistant press secretary, a role in which her own campaign biography says she helped prepare Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany for high-pressure briefings (Associated Press). After Trump’s 2020 loss she became communications director for New York Representative Elise Stefanik (NPR).
In 2021 she launched an audacious bid of her own: a run for Congress in New Hampshire’s 1st District. On September 13, 2022, the 25-year-old won the Republican primary — the first Republican member of Generation Z to win a House primary — defeating former Trump State Department official Matt Mowers, even though House GOP leaders Kevin McCarthy and Steve Scalise had backed Mowers and Trump stayed out of the race; Stefanik backed her, her former spokeswoman (NPR). She campaigned as a pro-Trump conservative who publicly asserted that Trump had won the 2020 election, then lost the November general election to Democratic incumbent Chris Pappas (NPR; Associated Press). After the loss she worked as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., the pro-Trump super PAC, before joining Trump’s 2024 campaign (Associated Press).
Leavitt joined Trump’s third presidential bid in January 2024 as national press secretary, traveling with him to rallies, events, and his Manhattan court appearances (Associated Press). She had been hired shortly after discovering she was pregnant; she gave birth to her first child in July 2024, stepped away briefly, and returned to work immediately — four days later, Trump was shot at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania (Associated Press; USA Today).
The youngest press secretary
On November 15, 2024, President-elect Trump named the 27-year-old as his White House press secretary — the youngest in history, breaking the record held by Ron Ziegler, who was 29 when he took the job under Richard Nixon in 1969 (Associated Press). “Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator,” Trump said in his announcement statement; Leavitt replied on X: “Thank you, President Trump, for believing in me. I am humbled and honored. Let’s MAGA.” (Associated Press)
She succeeded Karine Jean-Pierre on January 20, 2025, and made her briefing-room debut on January 28, during Trump’s second week back in office (The Hindu; Associated Press). Her tenure became known for combative exchanges with reporters and a staunch public defense of the president, alongside frequent appearances on Fox News and other conservative outlets to promote the administration’s agenda (The Hindu). Trump himself became one of her most visible defenders: after her exit he told reporters she had made the job “very glamorous,” claiming he had “never had so many job applications in my life” (The National News Desk).
Motherhood in the job, and the August 2026 exit
On May 1, 2026, Leavitt became the first White House press secretary in history to give birth while holding the role (USA Today). She was back on Air Force One traveling with Trump by late June — about seven weeks after giving birth — and held her first press briefing after the baby on July 16 (USA Today). During her May maternity leave the White House held fewer briefings and appointed no interim spokesperson; instead, senior officials including Vice President JD Vance — who took the podium twice — Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent covered media duties (The Hindu; The National News Desk).
It was a short return. On August 12, 2026, Trump announced on social media that Leavitt would leave at the end of the month to spend more time with her family, and that she would “now be one of my top outside advisors” and “an influential voice within the Republican Party” ahead of the midterm elections (The Hindu). In her own statement she wrote: “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” (The Hindu). She completed her final day on August 27 (Dagens.com) — telling NewsNation that day: “Every day as a working mother is a challenge… you have to say no to a lot of opportunities because you want to be there for bedtime with your kids every night” (USA Today). Her advice to whoever takes the job was characteristically Trump-centric: “the most important thing is understanding that President Donald Trump is ‘his own best spokesperson’” — “he is the true communications director and press secretary here at the White House” (The National News Desk). No successor had been named as of early September (Dagens.com).
September 2026: the afterlife of the podium
Leavitt confirmed she was returning to her previous job at MAGA Inc. (Page Six), and she has stayed conspicuously visible. On September 10 she took the stage at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas telling the crowd: “It feels good to be back behind a podium… It feels much better speaking to a stadium full of patriots than a briefing room full of journalists,” and urging voters to back Republicans up and down the ballot (SheFinds).
A week later she sat down with Sean Hannity’s podcast, where she claimed reporters had privately apologized to her for asking “unfair” questions — “I’m sorry I had to ask that today, you know, my bosses really wanted me to ask that” — and recounted a private lunch with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, at which Trump told him his immigration policies were “so stupid” and that he should “close your borders” (Page Six; Moneycontrol). The disclosure drew fire from Newsmax host Greg Kelly, who posted on September 27 that Leavitt was “gossiping about private meetings the President had with world leaders” and called it a “breach of trust” (Page Six).
On September 28, Page Six reported — citing unnamed sources — that Leavitt is shopping a book proposal about her time in the White House, expected to include behind-the-scenes details of her tenure (Page Six). She has not confirmed any book, and no deal, title, or release date is claimed (Dagens.com).
And on September 29 — the publication date of this profile — Leavitt is scheduled to host the unveiling of America.gov, an AI-powered portal designed as a central access point for federal government services, at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C. She announced the role in a September 25 post on X: “This is going to be a fantastic event, bringing together some of the best minds in business. I look forward to hosting it!” Expected attendees include Trump, Vice President Vance, Elon Musk, Jensen Huang, and Joe Gebbia — all per Fox News Digital’s September 25 report, as carried by SoapCentral (SoapCentral). This profile claims only that the event was scheduled and that Leavitt was to host it; its outcomes had not occurred at publication time.
What this profile does not claim
This profile does not state her daughter’s given name or a wedding date: no source read for this profile gave either, so neither appears here. It follows AP’s August 24, 1997 birth date; an NDTV page that appeared in search results to give 1998 could not be accessed (HTTP 403) and therefore could not be read or cited. The age of her husband Nicholas Riccio (61 per Page Six) comes from a single source and is reported only as that outlet’s identification, not as an independently confirmed fact. The Leavitt book is reported as a proposal being shopped to publishers by unnamed sources — not as a signed deal, and its contents are not described beyond that. This profile does not claim anything about what happened at the America.gov unveiling on September 29, 2026, which was scheduled for publication day and could not yet be verified; nor does it repeat Page Six’s unnamed-sourced assertion that the later credential ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico “would not have happened” under Leavitt. Finally, it does not detail how or when Keir Starmer left the British premiership — current reporting describes him as a former prime minister without explaining the changeover.
Timeline
- 1997-08-24
- Born in New Hampshire. (One outlet's page appeared to give 1998, but the page could not be accessed; this profile follows the AP's 1997 dating.)
- 2019
- Graduates from Saint Anselm College with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science, after interning at Fox News and in Trump's White House press office.
- 2020-06
- Becomes an assistant White House press secretary in Trump's first administration, having joined as a presidential writer after graduating.
- 2022-09-13
- Wins the Republican primary for New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District at 25 — the first Republican Gen Z candidate to win a House primary — defeating Matt Mowers.
- 2022-11
- Loses the general election to Democratic incumbent Rep. Chris Pappas, then works as a spokesperson for the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc.
- 2024-01
- Joins Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign as national press secretary.
- 2024-07
- Gives birth to her first child, briefly steps away from the campaign, and returns to work immediately; days later Trump is shot at a Butler, Pennsylvania rally.
- 2024-11-15
- President-elect Trump names Leavitt, 27, as White House press secretary — the youngest ever, surpassing Ron Ziegler (29 under Nixon in 1969).
- 2025-01-28
- Makes her briefing-room debut in Trump's second week back in office.
- 2026-05
- Gives birth to her second child, becoming the first White House press secretary in history to give birth while holding the job; takes maternity leave through June.
- 2026-07-16
- Holds her first press briefing after maternity leave.
- 2026-08-12
- Trump announces on social media that Leavitt will leave the role at the end of the month to spend more time with her family, remaining one of his top outside advisers.
- 2026-08-27
- Completes her final day as White House press secretary and confirms she is returning to MAGA Inc. for the midterm campaign.
- 2026-09-10
- Speaks at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, urging voters to back Republicans up and down the ballot.
- 2026-09-22
- Tells Sean Hannity's podcast that reporters privately apologized for "unfair" questions, and recounts a private lunch at which Trump berated British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over immigration.
- 2026-09-29
- Scheduled to host the unveiling of America.gov, an AI-powered federal services portal, at the Mellon Auditorium — announced via her own X post on September 25. (Event scheduled today; outcomes not yet verified.)
What we could not verify
These claims came up in research and could not be confirmed. They are recorded here rather than published as fact or quietly dropped. If you hold a source that settles one, please tell us.
- Birth year: AP and the Economic Times give August 24, 1997; an NDTV page found in search appeared to give August 24, 1998, but the page returned HTTP 403 and could not be read, so it cannot be cited. This profile follows 1997, which is also consistent with contemporaneous age reporting (27 at appointment in November 2024; 29 in September 2026).
- Her daughter's given name (reported elsewhere as Viviana) is not stated: no source read for this profile gave it, only search snippets.
- No source read for this profile gave a marriage date, so none is stated; Page Six identifies her husband as Nicholas Riccio, 61 — that age figure comes from a single source and is not independently confirmed here.
- The America.gov unveiling is scheduled for September 29, 2026 (the publication date of this profile); no claims are made about its outcomes, attendance, or launch success, which could not yet be verified.
- The reported Leavitt book is only a proposal being shopped to publishers per unnamed Page Six sources; she has not confirmed it, and no deal, title, or release date is claimed.
- Page Six's report that the CNN/MS NOW/Politico credential ban "would not have happened under Leavitt" rests on unnamed behind-the-scenes sources and is not asserted as fact here.
- Current reporting describes Keir Starmer as a former or then British prime minister; the profile does not detail how or when the office changed hands, which no read source explained.
- The ordinal "36th White House press secretary" is not used: no source read for this profile confirmed the numbering.
Sources
11 sources (5 tier 1, 5 tier 2, 1 tier 3), each opened and read against the claim it supports. Every source is independent of the subject; no first-party material is cited. See the source policy.
Eleven sources, each fetched and read in full: five tier1 (Associated Press via the Orlando Answer, Associated Press via the Economic Times, NPR via WUOT, The Hindu, USA Today) and five tier2 (The National News Desk via WUTV29, Page Six, Moneycontrol, SoapCentral, Dagens.com), plus one tier3 (SheFinds). NDTV's profile page could not be accessed (HTTP 403), so its claims were not used. SoapCentral's America.gov account is carried secondhand from Fox News Digital's September 25 report, which is stated wherever those details appear. Book-shopping claims rest on unnamed sources and are presented as reported, not confirmed.
- Supports: The November 15, 2024 appointment; her age (27) and the youngest-ever record vs. Ron Ziegler; Trump's "smart, tough" statement; her X reply; the MAGA Inc. and Stefanik background; the 2022 primary win and general loss. Open original source
- Supports: Born August 24, 1997, in New Hampshire; Saint Anselm education; Fox News and White House press-office internships; presidential writer and assistant press secretary in Trump's first term; McEnany briefing preparation; Stefanik communications director; January 2024 campaign role, rallies and court appearances; first child in July 2024 and hiring while pregnant. Open original source
- Supports: The September 13, 2022 primary win per the AP race call; age 25; first Republican Gen Z House-primary winner; defeat of Matt Mowers; Stefanik's backing vs. McCarthy/Scalise for Mowers; no Trump endorsement; her public assertion that Trump won the 2020 election. Open original source
- Supports: The August 12, 2026 departure announcement and Trump's social-media statement; Leavitt's own statement on motherhood vs. the job's demands; succession of Karine Jean-Pierre on January 20, 2025; her age (28 at announcement) and youngest-ever record; maternity-leave briefing coverage by Vance, Rubio and Bessent; her combative media style and Fox News appearances. Open original source
- Supports: First White House press secretary in history to give birth while in the role (May 1, 2026); back on Air Force One in late June, first post-baby briefing July 16; first child's birth just before the Butler shooting and her immediate return; the August 27 NewsNation interview quotes; her planned move to a Trump super PAC; McEnany's and Psaki's reactions. Open original source
- Supports: The post-departure vacancy; Vance's September 3 briefing (first in 42 days) and his podium turns during her maternity leave; her June return to work; circulating successor names (Scott Jennings, Anna Kelly, Steven Cheung); her last-day "Trump is his own best spokesperson" remark; Trump's "very glamorous" comment and the flood of applications. Open original source
- Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shopping potentially explosive book: sources Tier 2Supports: The book proposal being shopped to publishers (unnamed sources); her age (29) and husband Nicholas Riccio (61); the Hannity podcast quotes on reporters' private apologies; the Starmer lunch anecdote; Greg Kelly's September 27 criticism; the list of rumored successor names; her August 12, 2026 X departure statement. Open original source
- Supports: The Hannity-podcast account of the private lunch during Trump's September 2025 UK state visit, in which Trump told then-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer his immigration policies were "so stupid" and to "close your borders" — per a Fox News report. Open original source
- Supports: Leavitt's September 25 post ("fantastic event... best minds in business... I look forward to hosting it"); the September 29, 2026 Mellon Auditorium event and expected attendees (Trump, Vance, Rubio, Oz, Musk, Huang, Limp, Gebbia); the portal's purpose — all as reported per Fox News Digital's September 25 report. Open original source
- Just weeks after leaving: Karoline Leavitt plans on releasing book about Trump and The White House Tier 2Supports: Corroboration of the Page Six book-proposal report; her final day as press secretary on August 27, 2026; her return to MAGA Inc. and outside-adviser role; the Hannity quotes and Starmer anecdote; her farewell to reporters; the still-vacant position. Open original source
- Supports: Her September 10 appearance and speech at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas ("It feels much better speaking to a stadium full of patriots than a briefing room full of journalists"); her call to support Republicans up and down the ballot; the convention's September 9–10 dates at the American Airlines Center. Open original source
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