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Will Karoline Leavitt be on leave due to childbirth? What we know amid MAGA-themed baby shower photos
Speculation grows over Karoline Leavitt taking maternity leave before her May 2026 due date as she prepares for her second child.
Speculation is mounting over whether White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will take maternity leave as she prepares to give birth to her second child in May 2026. As she prepares for the new baby's birth, Leavitt is expected to step away temporarily from her role.
Leavitt, 28, announced in December that she is expecting a baby girl with her husband, Nicholas Riccio. Leavitt shared her pregnancy news on social media, calling it the “greatest Christmas gift” and expressing excitement about expanding her family.
Recently, Leavitt shared photos from her MAGA themed baby shower which was attended by many of the White House staff members. Here are the photos:
Leavitt and her husband, Nicholas Riccio already have one child together, a son. Leavitt has not publicly revealed her son's name.
Read more: 'Prepared to unleash hell’: US warns Iran; Tehran insists on ‘no talks’
Will she go on maternity leave?
The New York Post reported that Leavitt has said that after her maternity leave, she intends to return to the briefing room.
Leavitt, one of the most prominent figures in the Trump administration, frequently uses social media to demonstrate how she manages her work and family obligations.
According to several media reports, like The Sun, discussions are already underway within the administration about who could temporarily assume her duties during her absence, with several senior communications officials being considered as interim replacements.
She had also previously returned to work shortly after the birth of her first child in 2024. Three days after giving birth, Leavitt resumed her work in response to Trump's attempted assassination at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Lara Trump also commended her for dispelling suspicions that there would be Leavitt's permanent replacement. She said, “Karoline Leavitt is a machine. She’s incredible. And she’s going nowhere.”
Read more: Karoline Leavitt hit with Community Note, mocked over new poll on Iran operation
Who could temporarily replace Karoline Leavitt?
The front-runners for the position of acting White House press secretary in her absence are Anna Kelly, Taylor Rogers, and Liz Huston, according to The Sun.
Kelly is the Principal Deputy Press Secretary and has served as a communications director for state party organizations and the US House of Representatives, among other Republican campaigns, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Leavitt collaborates with two White House assistant press secretaries, Taylor Rogers and Liz Huston. The duo collaborate with deputy press secretaries to assist with messaging in the briefing room.
