By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-14 16:44:57 | Updated at 2026-08-14 19:13:20
4 hours ago
Karoline Leavitt reflected on everything she has 'been through' as she cozied up to her son days after her shock resignation from the White House.
The mom-of-two, 28, announced she was quitting her job as Donald Trump's press secretary earlier this week to spend more time with her family.
On Thursday evening, she took to her Instagram Stories to share a sweet shot of her holding her son, Niko, two, in her arms as she watched a clip of herself on TV.
'Watching the news of mama's departure,' she wrote. 'When he grows up, I have so many stories to tell him about all we have been through.'
Leavitt shares her son, as well as newborn daughter Viviana, three months, with husband Nicholas Riccio.
She gave birth to her second child in early May and returned from maternity leave weeks later on July 16, admitting in her post announcing her departure that it was a 'bittersweet decision.'
'Being a mother and welcoming a new baby while working in one of the most demanding jobs in the world has been the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least,' Leavitt wrote on X on Wednesday.
'The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, 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 – and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life.'
Karoline Leavitt reflected on everything she has 'been through' as she cozied up to her son days after her shock resignation from the White House
The mom-of-two (seen in late July), 28, announced she was quitting her job as Donald Trump's press secretary earlier this week to spend more time with her family
Trump posted on Truth Social that Leavitt's decision was one he 'totally understands and respects,' while calling her 'one of the best White House press secretaries in the history of the office.'
The President said Leavitt would remain a 'top outside adviser' and an 'influential voice' at the top of the Republican Party as the White House gears up for crunch midterm elections in November.
Multiple insiders told the Daily Mail afterwards that Leavitt's decision to quit has actually been months in the making – and deeply pained.
One source close to Leavitt, the youngest ever White House press secretary, claimed she had been strongly weighing whether to quit during maternity leave, as the President would contact her often and repeatedly ask when she was coming back.
'[It was] no doubt one of the hardest decisions of her life so far,' they said.
Another source detailed an extreme 'burnout' in the few weeks since Leavitt had returned to work.
'It was a very stressful job to do with her children. She never got any sleep, and she didn't want her performance to slip either, so she decided to stay as long as she could and do the job well,' the source said. 'The President did everything he could to keep her.'
'It's a thankless job, and these are some big shoes to fill,' another insider said. 'I do know that the replacement isn't chosen just yet. They are still weighing their options.'
Leavitt gave birth to her second child in early May and returned from maternity leave weeks later on July 16, admitting in her post announcing her departure that it was a 'bittersweet decision'
Multiple insiders told the Daily Mail afterwards that Leavitt's decision to quit has actually been months in the making – and deeply pained. She's seen in July
A different source reiterated that, after returning from maternity leave, Leavitt very quickly realized she definitely needed out.
'First week back she realized she wasn't feeling it anymore,' they claimed.
'Trump really didn't want her to leave as he actually trusts her and doesn't like having to deal with new people in his circle when he wants to focus on getting stuff done in his time left in office.'
When Leavitt shared the news, she included a selection of photos that showed her alongside President Trump and on the job.
And she appeared to use AI to edit one of the photos included in her announcement.
The image showed Trump and Leavitt taking questions from a field of reporters just outside the White House.
Leavitt's face and body appeared to be altered in that photo. Specifically, the angle of her chin and her chest and waistline all looked edited when comparing her post to the same photo that was taken by a Getty photographer on July 15 of last year.
Leavitt's cheekbones also seemed to be higher, her face was tilted in a completely different angle and her hair appeared fuller. The post included a 'made with AI' mark.
