Karoline Leavitt may be leaving the White House briefing room, but she is not leaving President Donald Trump’s political operation.
The outgoing press secretary announced Friday that she will join MAGA Inc., the powerful super PAC supporting Trump and Republican candidates.
Leavitt revealed the move while speaking with reporters outside Air Force One on Friday evening.
She did not disclose her coming title, though the organization and its mission are already familiar territory for one of Trump’s most effective public defenders.
Before joining Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, Leavitt served as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc.
Her return places a battle-tested communicator inside a political organization preparing to spend heavily during the approaching November midterm elections.
“You guys will still see me all the time,” she told reporters.
That promise should reassure Trump supporters while likely causing a few groans in liberal newsrooms where Leavitt’s direct answers and sharp rebuttals regularly spoiled the preferred narrative.
Leavitt is scheduled to step down as White House press secretary at the end of August.
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She previously explained that she wanted more time with her young and growing family, a decision that will change her daily responsibilities without removing her from the broader Trump movement.
MAGA Inc., a super PAC aligned with Trump and the Republican Party, has reportedly amassed more than $350 million ahead of the midterm elections.
That enormous reserve gives the organization considerable political firepower as Republicans fight to advance Trump’s agenda and protect congressional majorities.
Friday evening’s flight aboard Air Force One was also expected to be Leavitt’s final official trip as press secretary.
She traveled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where Trump held a rally supporting Sen. Darline Graham, a Republican seeking a full term in the seat previously held by her late brother.
Leavitt and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, have two young children.
Their son was born in July 2024, while their daughter arrived in May of this year, giving Leavitt understandable reasons to seek a role with different demands than the relentless White House press schedule.
Riccio is a New Hampshire real estate developer and investor whose portfolio includes both commercial and residential properties.
The family considerations surrounding Leavitt’s departure have not weakened her commitment to the political fight that made her a nationally recognized conservative voice.
Trump said Leavitt would continue working with the White House as one of his “top advisers” and would remain an “influential voice within the Republican Party.”
Leavitt likewise made clear that her “fight” against the Democratic Party would continue after she formally vacates the podium.
The White House has not yet announced who will replace Leavitt.
She returned from maternity leave in the middle of July, then decided to leave the demanding position permanently as speculation quickly began over who could possibly follow her performance.
Among the names reportedly under consideration are conservative CNN commentator Scott Jennings and Katie Miller, the wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
Both would bring strong communication credentials to a role requiring daily combat with a press corps that rarely hides its hostility toward Trump.
Trump suggested that qualified applicants are hardly in short supply.
“I will tell you this, and Karoline will tell you this,” Trump told reporters Friday, “I have never seen so many job applications in my life.”
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Choosing Leavitt’s replacement may still prove difficult because she established a distinctive presence behind the White House podium.
She was willing to challenge veteran reporters directly, expose loaded questions, and push back when media outlets dressed partisan talking points up as objective journalism.
Leavitt became the youngest White House press secretary in American history when she assumed the position at age 27 at the beginning of Trump’s second administration.
Her confidence, preparation, and willingness to go toe to toe with seasoned correspondents quickly made her a favorite among Trump’s grassroots supporters.
Her move to MAGA Inc. ensures that the administration is not losing her voice, only deploying it in a different arena.
Democrats hoping her White House exit meant a quieter political future are out of luck, because Leavitt appears ready to remain visible and fully engaged in the coming electoral fight.
