Donald Trump‘s top loyalist is set to leave the White House, and the president seems unhappy about the decision.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, 28, plans to leave the Trump administration by the end of August.
Leavitt recently returned to her job as Trump’s spokesperson after taking a two-month maternity leave. She gave birth to her daughter in May.
Trump initially praised her as one of his “most trusted aides” in a cordial message on Truth Social on Aug. 12 after her announcement.
However, two days later, Trump made snide public remarks about Leavitt no longer being part of his West Wing communications team.
Fox News correspondent Alexis McAdams spoke to the MAGA leader on Aug. 14. The interview included a conversation about Leavitt’s resignation.
“Is Karoline Leavitt replaceable?” McAdams asked Trump. He responded, “No, she’s not. She really isn’t.” Leavitt was standing directly off camera in front of him.
When asked if he had Leavitt’s successor in mind, the POTUS instead leaned on her, exposing the real reason she’s leaving his post.
“She likes her children more than she likes Trump. I’m very concerned about that,” Trump stated, while smirking.
He went on to suggest that McAdams could be the next person to stand behind the Briefing Room podium on his behalf.
“You. How ’bout you?” he said to the reporter, turning on the charm. He looked out of the camera before adding, “She could do the job. I think so. What do you think, Karoline?”
It’s unclear if he wanted Leavitt to see his public disapproval.
But Trump’s public endorsement of McAdams was mostly overshadowed online by his joke about his most forward-facing public defender.
“You’ve got to be kidding me! Why does he say such stupid things??” a baffled X user wondered.
More fan reactions ranged between “This is messed up on so many levels” and “This is hilarious, actually.”
One person on the fence wrote, “I can’t stand DJT, but he is clearly joking here.”
In contrast, another said, “Behind every joke is a truth. Especially for this pos.” Someone replied, “He’s not joking; he never does.”
Speculation about the real reason for Leavitt’s exit as Trump’s press secretary from the White House has consumed social media over the last week.
Her lengthy announcement focused heavily on her being a mother. She and her 61-year-old husband, Nicolas Ricco, are raising two children under 3.
She referred to working in “one of the most demanding jobs in the world” as “rewarding yet challenging.”
But her post-pregnancy return to the White House apparently swayed her desire to quit.
“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,” Leavitt tweeted.
The sincerity of Leavitt’s public resignation letter was quickly scrutinized. Eagled-eyed viewers noticed that X labeled the post as created with artificial intelligence.
Whether the Saint Anselm College graduate relied on smart software for help is still unsubstantiated since the AI label has been removed from the post.
At 27, Leavitt became the youngest White House press secretary in American history. Her first official press conference in the position took place on Jan. 28, 2025.
Leavitt married real estate developer Nicholas Riccio in January 2025, just days before Trump’s second inauguration. Riccio is 32 years older than his wife.
The couple’s first child, a son named Nicholas “Niko” Robert Riccio, was born on July 10, 2024. A daughter, Viviana “Vivi” Riccio, arrived on May 1, 2026.
