Karoline Leavitt

Karoline Leavitt (born August 24, 1998) is an American government official who serves as White House press secretary (2025– ) in the Republican administration of Pres. Donald Trump; she is the youngest person to hold the post. Leavitt was an assistant press secretary (2019–21) during Trump’s first term.

Education and early career

Leavitt grew up in New Hampshire and attended Saint Anselm College on a softball scholarship. During the 2016 presidential election, while still a student, she became an intern at Fox News. That year she wrote an article in The Saint Anselm Crier that was critical of the “liberal media,” which she called “unjust, unfair, and sometimes just plain old false.” Leavitt graduated in 2019 with a B.A. in politics and communication.

Leavitt subsequently began working in the first Trump White House, writing letters to constituents from the correspondence office. She later became assistant press secretary. After Trump was defeated by Joe Biden in the 2020 election, Leavitt joined Trump in alleging widespread voter fraud despite a lack of evidence. After leaving the White House in 2021, she became director of communications for Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican from New York. Leavitt stepped down in 2022 to run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the 1st congressional district in New Hampshire. Campaigning as “a Generation Z conservative,” she supported tax cuts and stronger border security. She won her party’s primary but lost to incumbent Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas in the general election.

During the 2024 presidential campaign, Leavitt was press secretary for the Trump campaign. Shortly after winning the race, Trump announced that she would serve as White House press secretary, saying, “Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator.”

White House press secretary

Leavitt became White House press secretary in January 2025. Only 27 years old, she was the youngest person to hold the post. She quickly garnered a reputation for being unflappable and, at times, combative. At her first press briefing on January 28, 2025, she was critical of traditional media outlets and announced that podcasters, influencers, bloggers, and other members of the “new media landscape” would be invited to debriefings.

Personal life

In 2023 Leavitt became engaged to real estate developer Nicholas Riccio, who is 32 years her senior. They married and in 2024 had a son.