The BRICS TimesWhite House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is days away from welcoming her baby girl. No permanent replacement has been named yet. A rotating team of top officials may step in to handle press briefings during her absence.
America’s youngest-ever press secretary is heading to the delivery room
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is set to give birth to her baby girl any day now. The 28-year-old wrapped up her last press interaction on April 24. She signed off with characteristic wit and warmth, telling reporters gathered around her, “This will likely be my last gaggle for some time. As you can see, I’m about ready to have a baby any minute, so I will see you guys very soon.”
Leavitt and her husband, real estate developer Nicholas Riccio, announced the pregnancy just after Christmas. They are expecting a daughter in early May. The couple already has a son, Niko, born in July 2024. With this pregnancy, Leavitt made history as the first-ever sitting White House press secretary to be pregnant while holding the role. She also confirmed she would attend the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on April 25 before stepping away.
No single replacement, a rotating lineup takes over
The White House has made it clear that no formal replacement will fill Leavitt’s seat during her leave. Instead, a rotating group of senior administration officials will manage daily press briefings. This group could include Vice President JD Vance, various Cabinet members, and possibly even President Donald Trump himself.
Communications Director and White House aide Steven Cheung will oversee the communications office while Leavitt is away. Her core team, including Pat Adams and Anna Kelly, will continue supporting operations from behind the scenes. Leavitt joked about the arrangements, saying, “I know you’ll be in very good hands with my team here at the White House, and I know all of you have the president’s phone number personally.”
The rotating approach allows flexibility across the administration’s communications strategy. However, experts note it may also dilute consistency in messaging a key function the press secretary role is built around.
Experts raise questions about Leavitt’s future at the podium
While her maternity leave is being framed as temporary, some political observers are raising eyebrows. Political scientist Christopher Lee suggested Leavitt may be in a riskier position than it appears. He pointed to a pattern Trump has shown with previous press secretaries.
“When Sean Spicer became the joke, almost from the jump, Trump felt they were laughing at him,” Lee said. “For Leavitt, the break may already have come. It starts with the Jesus meme where she told Trump to say the photo was ‘doctored’ and Trump said he thought he looked like ‘a doctor’.”
Lee also pointed out that Leavitt has repeatedly defended Trump over controversial Truth Social posts including one where he threatened to obliterate Iran. On March 31, Trump publicly said Leavitt was doing a “terrible job” and then claimed he was joking. Lee noted this pattern is consistent with how Trump has treated other departing staff in the past.
“But look at Trump’s quote on March 31, it’s telling and is part of his MO in firing disposable staff,” Lee said. “It was where he said Leavitt was doing a ‘terrible job’ and claims he was joking when he further asked whether they should ‘keep her’ during a press avail at the White House. Again, while he claims he was joking, he’s made the same joke in the past.”
What keeps Leavitt in good standing for now
Despite the speculation, Lee acknowledged that Leavitt’s bold approach to taking on the press corps remains her strongest asset. That confrontational style has earned her credibility with the Trump camp, which values fighting back against media criticism.
“However, there is always a breaking point for Trump. People will argue whether that’s because Trump gets bored or until the media pushes back harder making Leavitt, and by extension Trump, look weak, unintelligent and out of her depth. Again, that’s happened already,” he explained.
Federal employees are entitled to 12 weeks of paid parental leave under current rules. How long Leavitt will actually take remains unclear. She is widely expected to return to the podium once she recovers, though no official timeline has been shared.
A unique milestone for American political history
Leavitt’s role as the youngest-ever White House press secretary, at just 28, has already made her a standout figure in American politics. Serving as the 36th person to hold this position, she came into the role after working closely with Trump’s campaign communications team. She also ran unsuccessfully as the Republican nominee for New Hampshire’s 1st congressional district in 2022.
Her maternity leave, and the administration’s response to it, highlights an interesting shift in Washington. Even deeply political offices must now navigate modern workplace realities, including parental leave, in full public view. The effectiveness of the rotating briefing strategy will ultimately depend on how well coordinated the White House team remains while their most recognisable spokesperson is away.
Akshay Didwaniya
Pratik Agrawal
Mayur Mohta