Fact Check: Is Natalie Harp behind Karoline Leavitt's resignation as White House Press Secretary?

WASHINGTON, DC: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that she would leave her role at the end of August 2026. She said she was stepping down to spend more time with her family.

The announcement sparked several theories on social media. Some users linked her departure to Natalie Harp, a close aide to President Donald Trump, and suggested that Harp may have played a role in the decision.

Claim: Natalie Harp is behind Karoline Leavitt’s exit as White House Press Secretary  

Leavitt returned to her role as White House Press Secretary after the birth of her second child, Viviana, in May. She also has a 2-year-old son. Reports later falsely said that Leavitt was aboard Air Force One while Trump secretly switched to a “decoy plane” during his trip to Turkiye amid a possible threat from Iran.

The incident led to several theories about why Leavitt decided to leave her position. Some social media users claimed that Trump aide Natalie Harp may have played a role in Leavitt’s departure.

The claim was shared alongside low-quality video footage that allegedly showed “a tense exchange between Karoline Leavitt, Natalie Harp and Donald Trump on Marine One.” The post then claimed that Leavitt was fired the following day.

Another wrote, “Natalie Harp was believed to be behind the firing of Karoline Leavitt. This is very interesting!”

A third user also said, “Natalie Harp is believed to be behind the firing of Karoline Leavitt.”

Another post claimed that Harp was seen crossing Leavitt’s name off a list after Leavitt announced her departure. The list also included names such as Pam Bondi and Alina Habba. However, it later included Elsa from Frozen, suggesting the post was intended as a joke rather than evidence of Leavitt being fired.

Other users made jokes about the situation. One post said, “Karoline Leavitt must be stepping down because Natalie Harp got to go on the food catering cart with Donald Trump and she didn’t. Everybody’s got a favorite, Karol.”

Fact Check: False

The claim is false. Neither Karoline Leavitt, Natalie Harp, nor anyone from the Trump administration has confirmed the allegations. The online speculation remains unsupported by evidence.

Some social media users also wrongly described Leavitt’s departure as a firing. However, Trump said she had decided to leave her role.

On August 12, 2026, Trump announced on Truth Social that Leavitt “will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect.”

He called Leavitt one of his “most trusted aides” and praised her work as press secretary. Trump also said she would continue as one of his top outside advisers and remain an influential voice in the Republican Party.

There is no credible reporting confirming that Leavitt, Harp and Trump had a confrontation on Marine One. There is also no evidence linking such an incident to Leavitt’s decision to leave the White House.

Some social media users have tried to connect Leavitt’s departure to earlier travel incidents involving Harp. However, there is no credible evidence of an argument between them or a link between those events and Leavitt’s resignation.