White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to Commence Maternity Leave; No Official Replacement Named

Apr 25, 2026, 05:55

Introduction

On April 24, 2026, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt informed reporters that she would be taking maternity leave imminently for the birth of her second child. She indicated that her team would continue to provide updates, and no formal replacement has been appointed. Senior officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance, may occasionally hold press conferences during her absence.

Main Body

Leavitt, who is 28 years old and the youngest person to hold the position, made the announcement during her regular press gaggle outside the White House. She stated that this would likely be her last such briefing for some time, noting that she was 'about ready to have a baby any minute.' She expressed confidence in her team and joked that reporters had the president's personal phone number. The duration of her leave has not been confirmed. Leavitt is married to Nicholas Riccio, a real estate developer based in New Hampshire. The couple married in January 2025, shortly before President Donald Trump's second inauguration. Their first child, a son named Niko, was born in July 2024. Leavitt returned to work on Trump's campaign days after that birth, a return accelerated by the assassination attempt against Trump on July 13, 2024. The White House is currently experiencing a notable increase in pregnancies among personnel with close ties to the administration. At least four women in such positions are expecting children, including Second Lady Usha Vance, Leavitt, and Katie Miller, who is married to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair and his wife were expecting a baby in March 2026. Usha Vance, a litigator with degrees from Yale University and the University of Cambridge, is pregnant with her fourth child, a boy due in late July. Vice President Vance has publicly expressed pro-natalist views, describing declining birthrates as a 'civilizational crisis' and criticizing Democrats as 'anti-family and anti-child.' He has also stated his hope that his wife will eventually share his Christian faith. Differing perspectives on gender roles within the administration have been reported. Leavitt was quoted in a December 2025 Vanity Fair article as saying that President Trump 'doesn't give a crap if you're a man or a woman. He just wants you to be good at your job.' This statement contrasts with views expressed by Erika Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA, who has encouraged women to prioritize motherhood over career. Kirk stated, 'As a woman you are meant to be the guardian of your home -- to be the helpmate of your husband.' President Trump has referred to Kirk's late husband, Charlie Kirk, as being like a 'son' to him. Additional incidents have drawn attention to the administration's approach to gender and race. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth blocked the promotion of four Army officers to one-star general, a move described by senior military officials as highly unusual. Two of the officers are Black and two are women, on a promotion list consisting of about three dozen officers, predominantly white men. Hegseth has stated his determination to change a culture he views as corrupted by 'woke' leadership from previous administrations. Leavitt defended Hegseth, asserting he was 'doing a tremendous job restoring meritocracy throughout the ranks at the Pentagon.' President Trump himself has made remarks to female reporters that have been characterized as derogatory. In response to a New York Times report on his aging, he called the female co-author 'ugly' without mentioning the male co-author. In February 2026, he told a CNN reporter that she was 'the worst reporter' and scolded her for not smiling.

Conclusion

Karoline Leavitt's maternity leave marks a temporary change in the White House press operation, with no designated successor. The administration's broader stance on gender roles and its handling of related controversies continue to be subjects of public discussion, as reflected in the contrasting statements from officials and the actions of senior appointees.

Vocabulary Learning

civilizational (adj.)
relating to a civilization or the process of civilization文明的；文明層面的
Example:He described declining birthrates as a 'civilizational crisis'.
commence (v.)
to begin or start開始；著手
Example:The press secretary announced she would commence maternity leave imminently.
gaggle (n.)
a group of people, especially journalists, gathered informally for a briefing（非正式）記者團；一群
Example:Leavitt made the announcement during her regular press gaggle outside the White House.
imminently (adv.)
very soon; at any moment即將；迫在眉睫地
Example:She stated she was about ready to have a baby any minute, meaning the birth was imminently expected.
pro-natalist (adj.)
advocating for higher birth rates and policies that encourage childbearing鼓勵生育的；支持生育率的
Example:Vice President Vance has publicly expressed pro-natalist views, describing declining birthrates as a crisis.

Sentence Learning

Leavitt returned to work on Trump's campaign days after that birth, a return accelerated by the assassination attempt against Trump on July 13, 2024.
Appositive Noun Phrase with Reduced Relative Clause: The sentence uses an appositive noun phrase "a return accelerated by..." which modifies the previous clause. The reduced relative clause "accelerated by..." omits the relative pronoun and auxiliary verb, adding conciseness and a formal tone.同位名詞短語與縮減關係從句：句子使用同位名詞短語「a return accelerated by...」修飾前一分句，其中省略關係代詞和助動詞的縮減關係從句「accelerated by...」使表達簡潔且正式。
Vice President Vance has publicly expressed pro-natalist views, describing declining birthrates as a ''civilizational crisis'' and criticizing Democrats as ''anti-family and anti-child.''
Participial Phrases with Parallel Structure: The sentence employs two participial phrases ("describing..." and "criticizing...") that are parallel in structure, providing additional information about the subject's actions. This enhances rhetorical effect and lexical density.分詞短語與平行結構：句子使用兩個平行結構的分詞短語（「describing...」和「criticizing...」），補充說明主語的行為，增強修辭效果和詞彙密度。
Leavitt was quoted in a December 2025 Vanity Fair article as saying that President Trump ''doesn't give a crap if you're a man or a woman. He just wants you to be good at your job.''
Passive Voice with Reported Speech and Direct Quotation: The passive voice ("was quoted") shifts focus to the subject (Leavitt) rather than the agent. The reported speech structure "as saying that..." introduces a direct quotation, blending indirect and direct discourse.被動語態與引述結構及直接引語：被動語態（「was quoted」）將焦點轉移到主語（Leavitt）而非施動者。引述結構「as saying that...」引入直接引語，融合間接與直接話語。
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth blocked the promotion of four Army officers to one-star general, a move described by senior military officials as highly unusual.
Appositive Noun Phrase with Reduced Relative Clause: The appositive "a move described by..." provides a concise evaluation of the preceding clause. The reduced relative clause "described by..." omits "which was", making the sentence more compact and formal.同位名詞短語與縮減關係從句：同位語「a move described by...」對前一分句提供簡潔評價。縮減關係從句「described by...」省略「which was」，使句子更緊湊且正式。
The administration's broader stance on gender roles and its handling of related controversies continue to be subjects of public discussion, as reflected in the contrasting statements from officials and the actions of senior appointees.
Complex Subject with Passive Voice and 'as' Clause: The subject is a long noun phrase with coordinated nouns ("stance... and its handling..."). The passive voice ("continue to be subjects") and the 'as' clause ("as reflected in...") add formality and complexity, linking the main clause to supporting evidence.複雜主語與被動語態及「as」從句：主語為長名詞短語，包含並列名詞（「stance... and its handling...」）。被動語態（「continue to be subjects」）和「as」從句（「as reflected in...」）增加正式性和複雜性，將主句與佐證聯繫起來。