Trump blindsided by Leavitt exit as White House makes unusual call on replacement

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump was caught off guard by Karoline Leavitt’s sudden decision to leave, an official told the Independent on Friday, August 14, with the White House now preparing for her departure without an immediate successor.

Instead, senior officials will rotate through the briefing room, leaving one of the administration’s most visible communications roles without a permanent occupant.

The White House official disclosed the plan to the outlet while discussing internal personnel deliberations on condition of anonymity.

White House leaves Karoline Leavitt's replacement unresolved

The unusual arrangement is tied partly to how quickly Leavitt decided to leave and to her close relationship with Trump. 

A source told the outlet that Taylor Budowich would be polished enough for television and trusted by Trump and Wiles. 

The source also cautioned that Trump has generally preferred a woman as his top spokesperson.

The administration will use Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for briefings, as they did during Leavitt’s maternity leave, the outlet reported.

Trump announced on Wednesday that Leavitt would depart at the end of August “so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect!” 

He said she would remain “one of my top outside advisors” and work with the Republican Party ahead of November.

Leavitt confirmed the decision on X, calling it a “bittersweet decision” and saying she could not balance the demands of the job with being the mother she wanted to be to her two young children.

Job duties and possible successors

Leaving the job vacant, even temporarily, would be an unusual choice, according to the report. 

The position also involves coordinating with agency communications shops, staffing the president on foreign trips, and serving as the formal point of contact for the White House Correspondents’ Association, it stated.

Names are being discussed for a possible permanent replacement later. 

Anna Kelly, the principal deputy press secretary, is the most senior official below Leavitt and has increasingly appeared on television and radio.

But Trump bypassed Kelly when Leavitt stepped away earlier this year.

Other names mentioned include former Trump attorney Alina Habba, CNN conservative pundit Scott Jennings, Kari Lake, Katie Miller, Stephen Cheung, and Taylor Budowich.

Karoline Leavitt's close bond with Trump

Former Trump spokesman Sean Spicer told Politico, “She knew him better than any of the four preceding press secretaries, and she understood the job.” He added, “There’s no one that had that relationship as she did. That longevity, that familiarity.”

Leavitt, 28, gave birth to her daughter on May 1, returned from parental leave, and announced her departure less than a month later.

Leavitt known for telling Trump harsh truths

One senior White House official told Politico that Leavitt and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles were often the people willing to tell Trump what he did not want to hear.

“A lot of the men around are yes men,” the official said. “So it’s often up to Karoline and [Chief of Staff] Susie [Wiles] to tell the president what he doesn’t want to hear.”