Trump Says Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Is Resigning End of August

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will step down at the end of August, a notable staffing shakeup less than three months before the midterm elections.

The move comes only weeks after Leavitt returned from maternity leave, and Trump said she will transition into an outside advisor role focused on the November midterms.

What Trump said

Trump announced on Truth Social that Leavitt, 28, is resigning “so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect!”

The president said Leavitt will become one of his top outside advisors and work with the Republican Party to win the upcoming midterm elections in November.

The timing

Leavitt’s departure was announced less than a month after she returned to the White House following maternity leave for the birth of her daughter on May 1.

The exit of one of the president’s closest allies inside the White House marks a major shakeup for the press operation, with less than three months until the midterm elections. For markets, the political calendar matters: staffing turnover at the top of the messaging shop tends to precede shifts in policy tone.

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Why traders should care

The departure comes at a challenging moment for Trump, who is facing low approval ratings amid the ongoing war with Iran and high gas prices, with most Americans saying he hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems.

Leavitt has been the daily voice defending White House policy on tariffs, Iran, energy, and the Epstein files. She defended the White House through multiple controversies and the biggest stories of the president’s second term so far, including the Signalgate scandal, the release of the Epstein files and the Iran war. Any change in messenger can move headline risk around each of those themes.

Who is next

It is not immediately clear who Trump will pick to replace her. While Leavitt was on maternity leave earlier this year, a rotating cast of administration officials held press conferences in the briefing room, including Vice President JD Vance.

Options market and stocks to watch

A press secretary change doesn’t move tickers directly, but it can shift how policy is telegraphed. Watch these names tied to the administration’s biggest live debates:

XOM and CVX: watch for headline sensitivity around Iran messaging and gas price commentary from the White House podium.

DJT: watch for flow tied to Trump-branded media as the president continues to use Truth Social for major announcements.

LMT and RTX: watch for defense-name reactions as the White House communicates on the Iran conflict through a new spokesperson.

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