Karoline Leavitt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Karoline Leavitt
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Official portrait, 2025
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| 36th White House Press Secretary | |
| In office January 20, 2025 – August 2026 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Karine Jean-Pierre |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Karoline Claire Leavitt
August 24, 1997 Atkinson, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Nicholas Riccio
(m. 2025) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Saint Anselm College (BA) |
Karoline Claire Leavitt (born August 24, 1997) is an American political spokesperson. She served as the 36th White House Press Secretary from 2025 until August 2026. A member of the Republican Party, she was a candidate in the 2022 election for New Hampshire's 1st congressional district.
In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump chose Leavitt to be his White House press secretary. She became the youngest person ever to hold this important job. In August 2026, Trump announced that Leavitt was stepping down from her role as White House press secretary. She left her position at the end of that month to spend more time with her family.
Contents
Who is Karoline Leavitt?
Karoline Leavitt is a well-known figure in American politics. She worked closely with former President Donald Trump. Her career has included roles in the White House and running for Congress. She is known for her strong communication style.
Growing Up and School
Karoline Claire Leavitt was born on August 24, 1997, in Atkinson, New Hampshire. She was the youngest of three children. Her family owned an ice cream stand in Atkinson. Her father also owned a business selling used trucks.
Leavitt went to Central Catholic High School. This was a private Catholic school in Lawrence, Massachusetts. She was a talented softball player during high school. She was even named an All-Star in 2014 and 2015. She often talks about how her Catholic education shaped her values. These values include faith, family, and the importance of helping others.
In 2015, Leavitt started attending Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire. She received a scholarship to play softball there. She studied communications and also minored in political science. She first thought about political journalism. Later, she decided to work directly in politics.
She became involved with the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. She interned for a U.S. senator and a TV station. She stopped playing softball after her second year. Leavitt also interned at the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence. There, she wrote letters for the president. She started a broadcasting club at her college. She also wrote for the college newspaper, the Saint Anselm Crier. She often shared conservative views in her writings. She graduated in 2019, being the first in her immediate family to finish college.
Starting Her Career in Politics
Working at the White House
After college, Leavitt got a full-time job at the White House. She worked in the Office of Presidential Correspondence. Her job was to respond to letters sent to President Donald Trump. By June 2020, she became an associate director in that office.
Later that month, she became an assistant White House press secretary. A friend who worked for the president suggested her for the role. She worked with Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany. In January 2021, she became the communications director for New York representative Elise Stefanik. This was just weeks before President Trump left office.
Running for Congress
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In July 2021, Leavitt announced she would run for the United States House of Representatives. She wanted to represent New Hampshire's first congressional district. She ran as a Republican. She said she was motivated to run after President Joe Biden changed many policies. She also mentioned her social media account was briefly suspended.
Her campaign focused on her experience working for the Trump administration. She wanted voters to see her as a strong supporter of Trump. She officially filed to run in June 2022. She won the Republican primary election in September. However, she lost the main election to the Democratic candidate, Chris Pappas.
After the Election
After her congressional campaign, Leavitt worked for MAGA Inc.. This is a group that supports Donald Trump. She also helped train political appointees for a possible Republican presidency. In January 2024, she became the national press secretary for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.
Becoming White House Press Secretary
On November 15, 2024, President-elect Trump announced that Karoline Leavitt would be his White House press secretary. She made history as the youngest person to ever hold this position. Her office in the West Wing was smaller than what previous press secretaries had.
Leavitt held her first press conference on January 28, 2025. She aimed to include different types of media, not just traditional news outlets. During a press conference, she made some incorrect statements about government spending. Reporters later clarified the facts.
Her time as press secretary was known for changing how the White House worked with the media. In February 2025, she announced that the White House would choose which reporters could attend presidential events. She said that "new voices" would be welcomed alongside traditional media. The White House also considered changing the seating arrangements for reporters.
Leavitt was part of a lawsuit in 2025. This happened after Trump's staff tried to block the Associated Press from certain events. The lawsuit claimed Leavitt told a reporter that the organization would be barred unless they used a specific name for the Gulf of Mexico.
Her Time as Press Secretary
White House briefings during her time often reflected Trump's approach to the news media. She frequently called on reporters from less traditional, often right-leaning, media outlets. She also created a "new media" seat. Journalists from these outlets often got to ask questions first.
In August 2026, President Trump announced that Leavitt would leave her role. She stepped down at the end of that month. Trump stated that she would continue to serve as one of his "outside advisors."
How She Communicates
Leavitt is known for her direct and strong communication style. She has sometimes challenged journalists during press conferences. A former press secretary, Ari Fleischer, noted that her style was similar to Trump's. This approach helped her stay in the role. Kayleigh McEnany, who mentored Leavitt, said her goal was to bring "evidence-based accountability."
Her Political Ideas
During her campaign for Congress, Leavitt focused on several key ideas. She wanted to lower taxes and reduce rules to help small businesses. She also supported school choice. She believed in increasing ID requirements for voting and providing more funding for police. She supported Trump's immigration policies. She also opposed rules that required people to get vaccines.
Leavitt has said she believed there were issues with the 2020 presidential election. She mentioned "irregularities and chaos" due to precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she acknowledged that Joe Biden was officially certified as the winner. She denounced the January 6 Capitol attack. But she stated she did not believe Trump encouraged it.
Her Family Life
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Karoline Leavitt is a practicing Catholic.
In December 2023, Leavitt became engaged to Nicholas Riccio. He is a real estate developer from New Hampshire. They met in 2022 during her congressional campaign. Leavitt describes Riccio as an "introvert" and her "opposite." Their son was born in July 2024. She returned to work very soon after his birth.
Leavitt married Riccio in January 2025. This was just days before President Trump's second inauguration. A photo of her feeding her son while working gained attention in May 2025. In December 2025, Leavitt announced she was expecting her second child. This made her the first White House press secretary to be pregnant while serving. Her daughter was born on May 1, 2026.
See also
In Spanish: Karoline Leavitt para niños
