Karoline Leavitt closed out her tenure as White House press secretary on Thursday, but her departure from the briefing room is unlikely to dim her influence inside President Trump's political operation. With Republicans bracing for a challenging midterm cycle, Leavitt is expected to remain a key messenger and strategist, working from outside the administration.
Trump and Leavitt announced earlier this month that she would step down to focus on her young children, but both made clear she would continue as an informal adviser to the president. Last week, Leavitt confirmed she would join MAGA Inc., Trump's super PAC, in a senior role.
While she will no longer command the podium at the White House, her proximity to Trump and her understanding of his base make her a valuable asset on the campaign trail, according to Republican strategist Ford O'Connell. "She's a warrior who knows how to break through the legacy media noise," O'Connell said. "For the most consequential midterms Republicans have faced, that kind of skill is invaluable."
Leavitt's standing with Trump's supporters was on display last week at a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where she received a standing ovation. Trump introduced her as "fantastic," and the event marked her final trip with the president in her official capacity. Still, she told reporters aboard Air Force One that she would accompany Trump to the Republican National Committee's midterm convention in Dallas next month. "You guys will see me all the time," she said.
Leavitt brings a rare blend of experience to her new role. Before becoming press secretary, she served as Trump's 2024 campaign spokesperson and previously worked for MAGA Inc. She also ran for Congress in New Hampshire's 1st District in 2022, losing to incumbent Democrat Chris Pappas. That combination of White House access, campaign know-how, and personal electoral experience gives her a unique vantage point, O'Connell noted.
Her exit comes as Republicans confront a difficult political environment. Trump's approval rating has sunk to a record low of 33 percent in a Reuters/Ipsos poll, and an Emerson College/The Hill survey shows Democrats leading by 8 points on the generic congressional ballot. "The House is harder to hold, but the Senate is an area where her knowledge of the base could be very valuable," O'Connell said.
In her final remarks as press secretary, Leavitt sought to counter the Democratic narrative on affordability, arguing that Democrats opposed the largest tax cuts in American history and voted against putting more money in people's pockets. "Democrats in this town want to talk a lot about affordability, but they voted against the largest tax cuts in American history," she said.
MAGA Inc. is already mobilizing for the midterms. Vice President Vance is slated to travel to battleground Michigan next week to boost Republican candidates, and the super PAC says it will host events nationwide to protect the party's congressional majorities. "We're not going back to their record inflation, open borders, and surging crime," said MAGA Inc. spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer.
Leavitt, who turned 29, has several possible paths ahead. Predecessors like Kayleigh McEnany and Jen Psaki moved into television, while Sarah Huckabee Sanders won the Arkansas governorship. Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers, said another run for office is plausible. "She's young, has aspirations, and has the resources and connections. Why wouldn't she think about that down the road?" Walsh said.
For now, Leavitt's focus is on helping Trump and Republicans navigate the midterms. As the campaign intensifies, her role as an outside adviser and super PAC operative is likely to keep her at the center of the action, even if she's no longer answering questions from the press corps. The coming months will test whether her messaging skills can help Republicans overcome the political headwinds.
