Politics
Karoline Leavitt’s White House Exit Wasn’t Her Decision: ‘She Did Not Quit, She Was Pushed’
Earlier this week, Karoline Leavitt and President Donald Trump announced that she would be exiting her role as White House press secretary at the end of the month. However, a new report claims that the decision to leave wasn’t hers.
“She did not quit, she was pushed,” a source told Rob Shuter‘s Naughty But Nice Substack on Thursday, August 13, adding that the president, 80, has been “looking at other options for months.”
“Once he starts thinking about your replacement, the writing is on the wall,” the source continued.
According to Naughty But Nice, Leavitt, 28, is publicly framing her departure as a decision to spend more time with her family, but sources claimed to the gossip blog that there was more happening behind the scenes.
“Karoline isn’t walking away from Trump,” the source told the outlet. “She’s staying in his orbit as an adviser. What’s ending is her role at the podium.”
A separate source described Leavitt’s departure as a “mutual exit.”
“She gets to leave with her reputation intact, Trump gets to say she chose family, and everyone moves on,” the source explained.
The report also claimed that Trump had been considering potential replacements for months and had become frustrated with the way Leavitt was handling White House messaging. Naughty But Nice previously reported in April that sources alleged that the Apprentice alum had privately expressed his frustration with Leavitt’s pregnancy and its impact on her availability.
The mom of two returned from maternity leave earlier this summer following the birth of her second child — daughter Vivi, 3 months — on May 1. Leavitt also shares son Nico, 2, with husband Nicholas Riccio.
As Globe previously reported, Leavitt announced via X on Wednesday, August 12, that she would step down as White House press secretary at the end of August to spend more time with her family.
Trump also addressed her exit and called her “one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office” in a post on Truth Social.
CNN contributor Scott Jennings is reportedly a frontrunner for the position.
