Donald Trump ‘s White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has admitted that she often struggles to balance her demanding job with motherhood
Donald Trump’s White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has admitted that she often struggles to balance her demanding job with motherhood.
The 27-year-old mom-of-one was announced as the President Elect’s press secretary in November, just three months after she gave birth to her son Nicholas ‘Niko’ Robert.
Being the youngest person to hold the title, the role will put her under tremendous scrutiny as she is set to handle televised briefings with the White House press corps, manage day-to-day interactions with the media, and appear on TV.
While the 27-year-old is already a veteran political operative, she has confessed that she is worried about managing her work while being a new mom.
Karoline – who worked in the previous Trump White House, where she was a member of then Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany’s team – revealed that she’s nervous she will miss moments with her young son because of her job.
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In a series of fiercely honest Instagram posts, Karoline lifted the lid on her woes as she prepares to head into the White House, and revealed that she had been ‘praying’ about the situation daily.
Her candid response came after a fan asked her how she managed to do it all.
The follower posed: ‘Do you worry about the demands of the job and missing out on moments with your son?’
Karoline replied: ‘Yes. I literally pray about this everyday. It’s very difficult but it’s also all I know.
‘I went back to work just days after giving birth. I have learned to multi-task and prioritize my time.
‘I’m also grateful to have an amazing husband and family who help me. Couldn’t do it without them.
‘I remind myself this job is temporary, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime, and I know one day he will be proud of his mama.’
Karoline also revealed that she was ‘looking forward’ to heading back to the White House before lifting the lid on the kind of boss that Trump is.
‘We are getting ready to move. I lived in D.C. and worked in the White House during President Trump’s first time so I know the city well, and looking forward to going back,’ she wrote.
Speaking about the President-Elect, she dished: ‘He is the best. He is generous, a great listener and storyteller, and seriously one of the funniest people I have ever met. I am honored to work for him.’
Former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has said that Karoline is an excellent choice for the role.
The 27-year-old mom-of-one was announced as the President Elect’s press secretary in November, just three months after she gave birth to her son Nicholas ‘Niko’ Robert
In a series of fiercely honest Instagram posts, Karoline revealed that she ‘worries’ about missing moments with her young son
‘Karoline is smart, tough, professional, and I have no doubt that she will excel at the podium,’ she previously wrote on X. ‘She is the perfect pick!’
Like many junior members of the press shop, she initially joined the office of presidential correspondence, helping process and reply to incoming mail, after graduating from Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire.
From there she joined the communications team under Kayleigh towards the end of Trump’s first term.
As well as her White House experience, Karoline ran for Congress in 2022.
When he left office she went to work for high-profile New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, before making her own run for Congress in New Hampshire, the state where she grew up scooping ice cream at her parents’ store.
Her effort to become the youngest woman ever elected to Congress fell 15,000 votes short in the 2022 midterms, when an expected red wave failed to materialize.
She was back in the Trump fold within weeks, joining an allied group before linking up with the campaign itself earlier this year, quickly becoming a fixture on television despite being pregnant with her first child.
In June, she clashed with CNN presenter Kasie Hunt, who took her off air after they argued about whether the network’s journalists could be neutral moderators in the upcoming debate.
In June, she clashed with CNN presenter Kasie Hunt, who took her off air after they argued about whether the network’s journalists could be neutral moderators in the upcoming debate
Karoline welcomed her son on July 10, 2024, with her husband, Nicholas Riccio, and called it the ‘best moment of her life.’
‘It’s true when they say there’s nothing comparable to the love you feel for your child,’ she gushed on Instagram at the time.
‘My heart has grown bigger than I ever imagined possible. Babies are the ultimate blessing and I’m bursting with gratitude for our beautiful, happy, healthy boy.’
In another Instagram post, Karoline explained that she and her husband Nicholas, a real estate mogul, met through ‘a mutual friend at a political function.’
‘He doesn’t have social media and he’s an introvert (complete opposite of me),’ she explained.
‘I respect his privacy on here – but he’s my number one fan, the best dad, and just the best man I’ve ever met.’
