Karoline Leavitt is seizing her newfound downtime now that President Trump no longer sits at the center of her world.
Leavitt, 29, stepped away from her role on Aug. 27, just under two years after making history as the youngest White House press secretary in U.S. history.
In an Aug. 12 statement, she described the departure as bittersweet.
News of Leavitt’s resignation arrived a few months after she and her husband Nicholas Riccio welcomed their second child, a daughter named Vivian. They also share a two-year-old son, Niko.
Leavitt took four months of maternity leave, returning just in time to promote Trump’s Great American State Fair and a slate of lavish Washington, D.C., renovations, among other headlines.
‘She Knows’: With a Smirk and a Shrug, Karoline Leavitt Delivers a Chilling Final Message as Trump Still Has No Replacement
The president’s trusted aide acknowledged, “The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter.”
She added, “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.”
Nowadays, Leavitt’s days off look different, yet they remain closely linked to Trump.
Early into her break from the executive mansion, Leavitt posted a photo of herself on a golf course.
She also reposted a group image on the greens from friend Erika Johnson Pandelena, signaling that she has assembled a circle of like-minded women to fill her spare time.
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… https://t.co/4jyW61DGGh pic.twitter.com/xny1yccuBn
— Karoline Leavitt (@karolineleavitt) August 12, 2026
Pandelena captioned the image, “Girls who golf week 3,” and tagged the “newest additions,” Leavitt and Olivia R. Jensen.
The former press secretary wrote that she was “home sweet home with my hometown girls.” She and Pandelena are childhood best friends. Leavitt served as one of her longtime pal’s bridesmaids in 2024.
While Leavitt demonstrated her swing, critics had a field day tearing apart the post. One person quipped, “Is she suffering from ‘post Donald depression’??”
Golfing is the president’s most documented pastime. On any given weekend, he is photographed on courses around the capital, at Trump Doral near Mar-a-Lago, and sometimes even abroad, including his upcoming trip to Trump International Golf Links Ireland in September.
The public figure who has become more visible as Leavitt enters a new chapter of her career is Natalie Harp, Trump’s assistant.
Some skeptics speculate that Harp is being groomed to take over Leavitt’s former post; however, the White House has not announced official replacement plans.
In her farewell message to reporters at the White House, Leavitt admitted she won’t miss “the briefings and what I just did on TV is 10 percent. Ninety percent of it is taking all of your calls at 5 in the morning and 11 p.m. at night.”
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Danielle Brooks
I am a staff writer at New York Beacon, where I focus on culture, entrepreneurship, and the emerging voices redefining Black America. My work highlights innovators, artists, and founders whose stories often unfold beyond mainstream headlines but shape communities in meaningful ways. Through precise reporting and thoughtful storytelling, I aim to document progress, challenge narratives, and contribute to a stronger Black press tradition.