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Former Trump Press Secretary cites grueling schedule as reason for leaving job

Karoline Leavitt posted on Instagram that the 60-plus-hour weeks and nonstop travel as White House press secretary drove her to quit and stay home with her kids.

In an Instagram story, former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt contrasted her former 60-hour-plus weeks, global travel and 24/7 on-call duties with her current routine of caring for her children and doing occasional TV work. After giving birth to her second child on May 1, she took nearly three months of maternity leave, during which Donald Trump frequently inquired about her return. She resumed the role in July but announced her departure on August 12, citing the stress of balancing the job with motherhood.

Since leaving, Leavitt has appeared on cable news and podcasts and is slated to work for MAGA Inc, the Trump super PAC. The White House later appointed Katie Zacharia as her replacement, a move that reportedly surprised chief of staff Susie Wiles.

Why it matters

The story highlights the personal toll of high-pressure political jobs and raises questions about work-life balance in the White House.

In this story

Karoline LeavittDonald Trumppress secretarymaternity leaveMAGA Incwork scheduleWhite HouseKatie ZachariaTV commentary
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