White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt looks on during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David in Thurmont, Maryland, U.S., July 31, 2026. REUTERS/Daniel Heuer
Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt may no longer be managing a busy life as a wife and mother with her duties for President Trump, but she’s not unemployed. Leavitt resigned from her role under Trump’s administration, saying she wanted to focus more on being with her children; however, her response to a social media user questioning why she’s still working despite wanting to be at home more paints a different picture.
In her Instagram story on October 14, Leavitt replied to a question from a follower that asked: “If you are going to be working, why did you leave the press sec position?” She said people taking her resignation to have more time with her children are taking it too literally. “As press sec I was working in the office 60+ hours a week, traveling the world and always on call, 24/7. Now I am home with my kids every day and doing some TV hits. These things are not the same, ma’am,” she responded. Since her exit from the role, Leavitt has appeared on a few news programs providing commentary.
Leavitt resigned in August, more than two months before her replacement was sworn in. After welcoming her second child earlier this year, she didn’t take a full three-month maternity leave, instead returning in 11 weeks to the podium. However, The Daily Beast reports that Trump continued to pester her while she was getting adjusted to her new reality at home about when she would return to work. Returning in the same capacity with the same expectations as a mother of one versus a mother of two proved to be too much of an ask for Leavitt.
Her social media honestly paints a contrasting picture to what new press secretary Katie Zacharia said about Trump’s admiration and dedication to working mothers. Zacharia, a mother of four, was asked how she plans to balance motherhood and the high-stakes position, and she seemed confident that she’d be able to manage.
Zacharia said her first priority is her husband and their four children, ages 12, 10, 8, and 6. Although she credited her husband as a source of support, she stressed that spending time at home is non-negotiable, calling missed family dinners “completely unacceptable.” Despite those firm boundaries, she praised Trump as “the most family-friendly president we've ever had,” noting that he knew she was raising four children when he handpicked her for the role, which she viewed as a sign of his trust in her.
How Zacharia is able to balance has yet to be determined, as she’s only a few days into her new role. But Leavitt's experience may be a telltale sign of what’s to come.