Caroline Leavitt steps down as White House press secretary
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt announced she will step down at the end of the month, citing family reasons.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Caroline Leavitt, the youngest White House press secretary in history, is stepping down at the end of the month. The 28-year-old cited family reasons, saying she wants to spend more time with her young children. President Donald Trump announced the move on social media, paying tribute to her and saying she would remain one of his top outside advisors.
Leavitt, who has been one of the most visible figures of the Trump administration's second term, posted her own lengthy statement. She spoke of the honour of serving at the podium and advocating for the Make America Great Again movement. She also took a swipe at what she called the liberal media, saying she had relished holding it to account.
The announcement came as a surprise to many in Washington. The White House press corps has seen Leavitt as a combative presence, often clashing with journalists during briefings. Her departure fits a pattern of senior officials leaving the administration for outside advisory roles, a move that has helped avoid the acrimony seen during the first term.
At 28, Leavitt was the youngest person ever to serve as White House press secretary. Her resignation takes effect at the end of the month, and no successor has been named yet.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News |
|---|---|
| Karoline Leavitt is stepping down as White House press secretary at the end of the month to spend more time with her family. | |
| Leavitt is the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary. | |
| Trump said Leavitt would remain one of his top outside advisors. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The BBC focused on the unexpected nature of the announcement, the transformation of press relations under Trump, and the pattern of sideways moves for departing officials. It highlighted Leavitt's combative style and the significance of her role as the most visible face of the administration's communications.
- “Well this came out of the blue, it was unexpected from the White House.”
- “She's been the youngest press secretary in the history of the White House at the age of 28 and one of the most public facing visible figures for Mr Trump in this second term.”
- “I think that a nod to the way that we've seen the relationship between the press and the White House transformed under the presidency of Mr Trump”
Broadcast Timeline
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