White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is expected to step back from daily briefing duties in the coming months as she prepares for the birth of her second child, a daughter due in May.
Leavitt, the youngest press secretary in U.S. history, announced in December that she and her husband, businessman Nicholas Riccio, are expecting. The couple’s first child, son Niko, was born in July 2024.
Who Could Replace Her
Her anticipated departure has sparked speculation in Washington about potential successors. Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly is widely viewed as a leading internal candidate after joining the White House in January from senior communications roles at the Republican National Committee and House of Representatives.
Statement from White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly:
"President Trump believes Greenland is a strategically important location that is critical from the standpoint of national security, and he is confident Greenlanders would be better served if protected by the United States from… pic.twitter.com/aluP86bgp7
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 20, 2026
Kelly also serves as special assistant to Trump, placing her in proximity to top administration officials. She is an Auburn University graduate who was crowned Miss State Fair of Virginia in 2019.
Assistant Press Secretary Taylor Rogers represents another option. A Clemson University graduate, Rogers joined the White House at the start of Trump’s second term after nearly two years at the Republican National Committee.
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— Liz Huston (@LizHuston47) March 23, 2026
Regional Press Secretary Liz Huston, an Indiana University graduate, also emerged as a potential candidate. She joined the administration from StateRAMP, a cybersecurity organization where she worked as a program manager.
What Leavitt Has Said
Leavitt has not publicly announced a formal timeline for stepping back from briefing duties. She has shared personal updates on social media, posting photos from her baby shower and expressing gratitude for support from close friends and family.
“My beautiful friends threw me a beautiful baby shower, and I couldn’t be more grateful,” Leavitt wrote on social media. “I feel blessed to have so many strong and loving women in my life and can’t believe we will welcome our little lady into the world in a few weeks.”
When announcing her pregnancy in December, Leavitt thanked President Trump and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for fostering “a pro-family environment in the White House.” She added that “2026 is going to be a great year, and I’m so excited to be a girl mom.”
The Administration’s Response
Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law, told Fox News that Leavitt has no plans to leave the administration permanently. “Karoline Leavitt is a machine, she’s going nowhere,” Lara told host Lisa Booth, noting that Leavitt quickly returned to campaign work after her son’s birth last year.
This story has been updated. CNN’s Political Team contributed to this report.