White House Exodus Deepens as Trump Faces Pivotal Stretch Before Midterms

A steady stream of departures from President Trump's inner circle has accelerated in recent weeks, leaving the White House working through a wave of senior exits just as the administration heads into what is expected to be a difficult stretch before the midterm elections.

The highest profile exit is Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who Trump announced will leave her role at the end of August. Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the job, said in a lengthy post that she made the bittersweet decision so she could spend more time with her two young children after concluding she could not balance the demands of the role with the kind of mother she wants to be. Trump said Leavitt would remain one of his top outside advisers and an influential voice for Republicans heading into the midterms.

Leavitt's departure follows other recent exits from the West Wing. Deputy national security adviser Andy Baker is set to leave the administration in the coming weeks. White House counsel David Warrington has also announced he will depart at the end of the month. And James Braid, the top aide handling the White House's relationship with Congress, lasted only about 19 months in the role before stepping down.

The timing has drawn attention because of what the administration is contending with at once. The departures are unfolding alongside a costly and unresolved war involving Iran, a broader affordability crisis weighing on voters, weak approval ratings for the president, and a midterm map that could threaten the Republican majority in Congress. With roughly 75 days left until the election, Trump is now tasked with rebuilding parts of his senior team, including finding someone to bridge the relationship between the White House and Capitol Hill, at a moment when continuity and coordination matter most.