Leavitt Set to Depart Trump Admin For Brief Maternity Leave
The most prominent figure in the White House briefing room is expected to step back temporarily in the coming months. Karoline Leavitt, who became the youngest press secretary in U.S. history, is expecting her second child, a daughter, due in May.
Her anticipated leave has prompted speculation in Washington about who will assume briefing duties in her absence, with several potential successors emerging from within the press office.
Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly is widely viewed as a leading internal candidate. She joined the White House in January after serving in senior communications roles at the Republican National Committee and in the House of Representatives, according to a Saturday report.
Kelly also serves as a special assistant to Donald Trump, a role noted on her social media profile and one that places her in close proximity to senior decision-making within the administration. Her background extends beyond government and political communications. In 2019, Kelly was crowned Miss State Fair of Virginia, a title she used to promote civic engagement among young Americans.
“In today’s polarized political climate, it is our job to step up to the plate and work to ensure the government we receive is a good one,” she told the Fairfax Times.
“It is my goal as Miss State Fair of Virginia to show young people that, contrary to what they might believe, we do have a voice and it’s about time we used it,” Kelly, a graduate of Auburn University in Alabama, added.
Assistant Press Secretary Taylor Rogers is also viewed as a potential option. A graduate of Clemson University, she joined the White House at the start of Donald Trump’s second term after working for nearly two years at the Republican National Committee.
Rogers has been seen working closely with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, including appearances in the Oval Office, and maintains an active social media presence documenting her role in the administration.
Regional Press Secretary Liz Huston represents another potential candidate. An Indiana University graduate, she joined the administration from StateRAMP, a cybersecurity organization where she worked as a program manager following an internship.
Leavitt has not publicly outlined a timeline for her expected leave from daily briefing duties, offering no formal announcement on when she plans to step back. She has, however, shared some personal updates.
According to the UK’s Daily Mail, Leavitt recently celebrated her baby shower and posted photos from the event, including an image with her mother, Erin, alongside close friends.
“My beautiful friends threw me a beautiful baby shower, and I couldn’t be more grateful,” she wrote. “I feel blessed to have so many strong and loving women in my life and can’t believe we will welcome our little lady into the world in a few weeks.”
In December, Leavitt announced on Instagram that she and her husband, businessman Nicholas Riccio, are expecting a girl. She described the news as “the greatest Christmas gift we could ever ask for.”
“My husband and I are thrilled to grow our family and can’t wait to watch our son become a big brother,” Leavitt wrote. The couple’s first child, a son named Niko, was born in July 2024.
Leavitt took the opportunity to publicly thank the administration’s leadership when announcing her pregnancy. She credited President Trump and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles with building “a pro-family environment in the White House.”
She then closed the post with a note of personal anticipation: “2026 is going to be a great year, and I’m so excited to be a girl mom.”
After the announcement, the president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, told Fox News that Leavitt had no plans to leave the administration. “Karoline Leavitt is a machine, she’s going nowhere,” Lara told host Lisa Booth, going on to say that Leavitt quickly returned to the Trump campaign after the birth of her son last year.
part 1
The black duffel bag hit the porch with a heavy thud.
Its zipper burst open.
Everything inside spilled across the wooden boards.
At first, nobody moved.
Then Sheriff Daniels stepped forward.
A black handgun slid across the porch until it stopped against the front step.
His hand instantly went to his holster.
"Nobody move!"
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
The cameraman zoomed in.
Beside the handgun lay dozens of unopened envelopes.
Every one of them carried military postage.
Every one of them was addressed to:
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Parker
The return address read:
Sergeant Emily Parker
Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.
The dates stretched across four years.
Some envelopes were faded from heat.
Others were still sealed with military tape.
Mrs. Ellis whispered, "Those are her letters..."
Pastor Ray slowly picked one up from the porch.
"It hasn't even been opened."
Another envelope.
Still sealed.
Then another.
Twenty.
Thirty.
More than anyone could count.
Mr. Greer's face turned pale.
"I delivered every one of those."
Nobody answered.
Inside the house came the sound of something crashing.
Emily couldn't breathe.
"I wrote every month."
Her voice barely carried.
"I never missed a birthday... never missed Christmas... never missed Mom's anniversary after her surgery."
She looked toward the windows.
"You never read them?"
Silence.
Sheriff Daniels carefully picked up the pistol using a handkerchief.
"This weapon isn't loaded."
Deputy Harris stepped beside him.
"Serial number's still intact."
Daniels stared.
His expression changed.
"I know this gun."
The deputy frowned.
"What?"
"It was reported stolen."
"When?"
"Almost six years ago."
He looked toward the Parker house.
"By Richard Parker."
The entire crowd turned toward the front door.
Inside, someone shouted.
"No!"
Then another crash.
Mr. Greer suddenly remembered something.
"I have something."
He hurried back to his mail truck.
People watched him disappear into the driver's seat.
A moment later he returned carrying a thick leather folder.
"I wasn't sure I'd ever need this."
He handed it to the sheriff.
Daniels opened it.
Inside were photocopies.
Certified mail receipts.
Postal forwarding forms.
Rejected delivery notices.
Every document carried Richard Parker's signature.
The sheriff flipped page after page.
"Refused."
"Refused."
"Refused."
"Forward to sender."
Again.
Again.
Again.
Mr. Greer's voice trembled.
"Four years ago your parents came to the post office."
"They told us you were dangerous."
"They said if any military mail arrived, they didn't want it."
Emily stared at him.
"They said that?"
He nodded sadly.
"They claimed you'd threatened the family before you went away."
Mrs. Ellis burst into tears.
"Oh my God..."
Pastor Ray slowly removed his glasses.
"I told the congregation to pray for Richard and Linda."
"I thought they were grieving."
Across the street, whispers spread through the neighbors.
"I remember..."
"They said she assaulted someone."
"I heard she'd robbed a store."
"No... they told me she'd attacked her own father."
Every rumor.
Every lie.
Every cruel glance Emily had imagined while overseas...
Suddenly made sense.
She felt her knees weaken.
Mr. Greer caught her before she fell.
"You don't owe these people an apology."
Emily wiped away tears.
"I kept wondering why nobody answered."
She laughed bitterly.
"I thought everyone had forgotten me."
The sheriff continued examining the folder.
Then he stopped.
One document had a different heading.
Application for Declaration of Death in Absentia.
Daniels frowned.
"What is this?"
He read farther.
The filing claimed Emily Parker had been "missing with probable criminal activity."
Attached was a request to transfer ownership of her college trust, vehicle title, and military survivor benefits.
The application carried two signatures.
Richard Parker.
Linda Parker.
The crowd gasped.
"They tried to declare her legally dead?" someone whispered.
"No..."
"They couldn't..."
Emily's head snapped toward the house.
"My college trust?"
Her father had promised that account would always belong to her.
She had worked two jobs through high school because they insisted every dollar mattered.
Now...
Her stomach twisted.
They had tried to erase her completely.
Inside the house, another loud bang echoed.
Deputy Harris looked toward the sheriff.
"They're moving."
Daniels nodded once.
"Cover the back."
Two deputies sprinted around the sides of the property.
The cameraman followed until another officer pushed him back.
Suddenly the upstairs curtains flew open.
Richard Parker appeared for only a second.
His face was drenched with sweat.
He looked directly at Emily.
Not with guilt.
With hatred.
"You should've stayed gone!" he screamed.
Then he disappeared.
Mrs. Parker's terrified voice echoed from somewhere inside.
"Richard, stop!"
Another crash.
Glass shattered.
Deputy Collins shouted from the backyard.
"Sheriff!"
"They're trying to get out!"
The crowd surged toward the sidewalk before officers forced everyone back.
Sheriff Daniels drew a slow breath.
"This isn't about an escaped convict anymore."
He looked at the house.
"This is now a criminal investigation."
Emily stood frozen.
Four years she'd dreamed about coming home.
Four years imagining hugs.
Laughter.
A family dinner.
Instead...
Her own parents had spent those same four years convincing an entire town that she was a criminal.
And judging by the fear inside that house...
The lies were only beginning to unravel.
