Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, 29, Makes a Surprising Career Move After Leaving the Trump Administration — Here's What's Next

Karoline Leavitt has found her next role after leaving the White House, while another major change has already taken her family far from Washington.

The former press secretary's next chapter reconnects her with a familiar name from earlier in her career. The timing also puts her in an interesting position as President Donald Trump publicly criticizes that same organization.

And the professional move is only part of the story. Leavitt has also returned to the state where she grew up, bringing renewed attention to a property tied to both her and her husband.

Her Next Job Brings Her Back to Familiar Territory

Leavitt, 29, is officially heading to Fox News Channel, where she will become an on-air contributor beginning November 1. Fox News announced the appointment on October 5. Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said Leavitt will provide commentary across the network's lineup.

The position marks a notable return to familiar territory. Long before becoming one of the most recognizable faces of Trump's second administration, Leavitt interned at Fox News while attending college.

She later built her political career through Republican campaigns and government communications before becoming the youngest White House press secretary in history.

Leavitt served as the 36th White House press secretary from January 2025 until August 2026. Before that, she was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc. and joined Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. Her new position will draw directly on that experience.

Scott said Leavitt's work inside the White House and on the presidential campaign trail gives her a distinct view of the current political landscape. She added that the network expects Leavitt to offer "authentic and sharp insight" across Fox News Media platforms.

Leavitt also confirmed that her White House experience will be central to what viewers hear from her. "I am grateful for the opportunity to continue appearing on Fox News Channel as an official member of the extraordinary team at FOX News Media," she said.

"I look forward to bringing my unique perspective from my experience as White House press secretary, along with the same energy and candor that defined my tenure, to Fox's millions of viewers across their many platforms."

The move means Leavitt will remain in the public eye despite giving up a job that required her to regularly face the White House press corps and address domestic and foreign policy matters on the administration's behalf.

But the circumstances surrounding her departure make her new arrangement especially significant.

Motherhood Was Central to Her White House Departure

Leavitt announced on August 12 that she would step down as White House press secretary at the end of that month. She described the previous year and a half as "the honor and adventure of a lifetime."

Her tenure included working in the West Wing, spending extensive time in the Oval Office, traveling internationally, meeting foreign leaders, and representing Trump from the White House podium.

However, Leavitt said the demands of the position had become difficult to reconcile with raising her two young children. She had recently returned from maternity leave after welcoming her daughter, Viviana, on May 1. Her statement explained the personal calculation behind her decision.

"The truth is since [sic] returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary," Leavitt wrote.

She called her departure a "bittersweet decision." Leavitt said Trump had asked her to continue serving as one of his top advisers outside the administration. She also said she would remain a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party.

Trump confirmed her departure and said Leavitt was leaving so she could spend more time with her young children and family. He described her as one of his most trusted aides and said she would continue advising him from outside the administration.

The change came less than three months before the midterm elections. According to CNN's report on her departure, Leavitt was the second-longest-serving press secretary of Trump's presidencies, behind Sarah Huckabee Sanders during his first administration.

Leavitt also made history as the first woman to be pregnant while serving as White House press secretary. Her maternity leave following Viviana's birth lasted roughly a month. It was considerably longer than the break she took after giving birth to her son, Nicholas, known as Niko, in July 2024.

After Niko was born, Leavitt returned to Trump's presidential campaign just four days later following the assassination attempt against then-candidate Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. She later told Megyn Kelly that the event "kind of threw me right back to work much sooner than I would have probably expected or hoped."

When Leavitt returned to the briefing room after her second maternity leave, she spoke publicly about balancing the demands of the position with motherhood and characterized her work as public service rather than simply a job.

Vice President JD Vance described Leavitt's position as "one of the hardest jobs in the Administration." He also acknowledged how demanding such a constant role could be for a young parent. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung called Leavitt "the best teammate" after her announcement.

He wrote that although her departure was a sad occasion for the team, they were happy for Leavitt and her family, adding, "It's never 'goodbye.' It's always 'see you down the road.'"

Her move to television now gives a clearer picture of what that next phase will involve. And it comes at a complicated moment in Trump's relationship with her new employer.

Trump Has Been Publicly Criticizing Fox News

Leavitt's Fox News announcement arrived amid another storyline involving the president she represented for 18 months. Trump has recently lashed out at Fox News, including over the network's election coverage and its decision to feature Democrats.

According to The Independent, Trump criticized "Fox & Friends" after the network did not cover his October 3 rally in Vandalia, Ohio, as he wanted.

"Sad to see that Fox & Friends (Sunday) is not covering our packed house and incredibly enthusiastic (beyond!)," Trump wrote on Truth Social. He argued that his recent election rallies showed what was actually happening within the Republican Party.

Trump's criticism of the network has not been limited to rally coverage. As The Hill reported, Trump also attacked Fox News for featuring prominent Democrats and commentators critical of Republicans.

He named Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and Jessica Tarlov while complaining about the airtime given to Democratic voices. "This is why MAGA, and REAL Patriots, will never like Fox!" Trump wrote.

Trump has a long record of attacking news organizations, though his relationship with Fox News has been more complicated. He has praised the network at other times and recruited former Fox personalities to work in his administration.

He has also recently criticized "Fox News Sunday" anchor Shannon Bream over guests, polling, and graphics he believed did not sufficiently highlight his administration's accomplishments. That backdrop makes Leavitt's arrival at Fox particularly notable.

She spent her tenure as press secretary forcefully defending Trump and his agenda. Even after leaving, she said she would remain one of his outside advisers and continue advocating for his political movement.

Now, she will do so while working as a contributor for a network Trump has been criticizing publicly. Her career change also comes with a major geographical shift.

Leavitt Has Already Left Washington

Leavitt's family life is no longer centered in the nation's capital. According to The New York Times, Leavitt has left Washington and is now living with her family in New Hampshire, where she grew up. The move brings her back to a state with deep personal and professional ties.

Leavitt was born and raised in Atkinson, New Hampshire. She attended Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts, before receiving a scholarship to Saint Anselm College, where she played NCAA Division II softball.

She graduated in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science. During college, Leavitt interned at Fox News and publicly supported Trump's administration. She also wrote opinion pieces for her student newspaper, including a defense of Trump's travel ban and criticism of the news media.

The summer before her senior year, she interned in the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence. Following graduation, she briefly returned to the White House and eventually became an assistant press secretary under then-White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany.

After Trump's first administration ended, Leavitt worked as communications director for Republican New York Rep. Elise Stefanik. She later pursued elected office herself, running for Congress in New Hampshire. Leavitt won the Republican primary but lost the 2022 general election.

In January 2024, she became national press secretary for Trump's presidential campaign, eventually following him back to the White House. Her return to New Hampshire therefore closes a geographical circle after years in national politics. It also represents a significant change from the family's Washington home.

Inside the Washington Home She Left Behind

While serving as press secretary, Leavitt lived with her husband, Nicholas Riccio, and their children in a Craftsman Colonial-style home in Washington, DC, according to The Mirror.

Built in 2003, the property was reported to include a swimming pool, gardens, a patio, and large windows. Hardwood floors run through major living areas, while 10-foot ceilings on the principal floor contribute to its spacious appearance.

Family photographs shared publicly showed white furniture, pale surfaces, and abundant natural light. The living room featured a fireplace, sofa, and armchair. The dining room had French doors opening onto a private deck.

The kitchen reportedly included stainless-steel appliances, terrazzo countertops, two pantries, and a farmhouse sink. Photos of Leavitt with Niko also showed the less polished details of daily family life there, including bottles and other household items around the kitchen.

The main floor reportedly contained a guest bedroom and full bathroom. Upstairs, the primary bedroom included high ceilings, a large closet, and an en-suite bathroom with dual vanities, a spa tub, a separate shower, and a private toilet area.

The house also had a library that doubled as an office. Another upstairs bedroom reportedly had its own fireplace. Two more bedrooms and a full bathroom were located on the lower level, along with a dedicated laundry room. The property also included a garage and covered carport.

But some of the most personal details appeared in the rooms used by Leavitt's children. A nursery prepared for Niko had soft light-blue walls, a white crib, a large white dresser, and a circular sunburst mirror.

A personalized "NICHOLAS" sign hung above his crib. A light-colored rug covered much of the hardwood floor. Leavitt's holiday photographs revealed other areas of the home.

One showed her pregnant beside a Christmas tree in a room with large windows, pale walls, and a chandelier made from dangling translucent pieces.

Another image placed an ultrasound photograph in front of the tree beside a small shirt marked "BABY SIS," announcing that Niko would become a big brother.

Those family scenes made the Washington residence part of Leavitt's public life during her time in the administration. But New Hampshire offers a very different setting.

A New Hampshire Property Has a Rare Feature

During Leavitt's 2022 congressional campaign, her publicly listed home address was in Hampton, New Hampshire. The classic-style house sits in a neighborhood near local families and is within walking distance of downtown Hampton. Schools and a public library are also nearby.

The New Hampshire coastline is only a short bicycle ride away. The house has a covered front porch, a cozy first-floor living room, and separate kitchen and dining spaces, while its bedrooms are upstairs.

The Hampton home sits on an expansive two-acre lot, which The Mirror reported is unusual for the area. That gives the property a combination of considerable outdoor space and proximity to downtown Hampton and the coast.

The New Hampshire connection is not limited to Leavitt. Hampton also carries professional significance for her husband. Riccio built a real-estate business by renovating rundown waterfront properties in Hampton Beach and turning them into resort destinations, according to Realtor.com.

He founded Riccio Enterprises LLC and was reported to own nine rental homes in New Hampshire, along with one in West Virginia. Leavitt's return to New Hampshire therefore brings the family to a state with substantial ties for both spouses.

However, the supplied sources do not establish that the family is currently living specifically in the Hampton property connected to Leavitt's 2022 campaign. What is confirmed is that they have left Washington and are now living in New Hampshire.

Her White House Role Came With a Six-Figure Salary

The move also ends a White House job that came with a substantial government salary. According to a July 2025 Fox News report based on the administration's annual salary disclosure, White House salaries ranged from $59,070 to $225,700.

Leavitt was among 33 staff members earning $195,200 per year. That salary accompanied a role that made her one of the administration's most visible representatives.

As press secretary, she regularly took questions from reporters and defended the administration's positions on domestic and international issues. Her public profile was also intertwined with the family milestones she shared while serving in the role.

Leavitt became pregnant, gave birth, took maternity leave, returned to the briefing room, and ultimately concluded that she could not devote the required time to the job while being the mother she wanted to be to her two children.

In her full departure statement, she thanked Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, her White House colleagues, her staff, and her family. She also thanked Riccio and her relatives for the sacrifices they made while she served in government.

Her departure did not end her involvement with Trump. According to both Leavitt and the president, she remains an outside adviser. Nor did it end her involvement in national political debate.