Karoline Leavitt Nears Maternity Leave as She Prepares for Baby’s Arrival Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, is preparing to step down from her role as she approaches maternity leave. She announced her pregnancy in December, revealing she is expecting a baby girl to arrive in May. During a press gaggle on April 24, she humorously indicated her imminent departure, stating, “I’m about ready to have a baby any minute,” and assured reporters she would return “very soon.” Her comments came as she bid farewell to the press, signaling the end of her current tenure at the White House. Leavitt, 28, confirmed her pregnancy in an Instagram post in December, expressing gratitude to President Donald Trump and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for fostering a “pro-family environment” in the White House. She also mentioned her plans to attend the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 25. During her final press briefing, she joked about the informal sharing of President Trump’s phone number among journalists, a practice noted by The Atlantic and Semafor as a “worst-kept secret in Washington.” The White House has not named a single replacement for Leavitt, who will be absent for an unspecified period. Instead, various administration officials, including Cabinet members, Vice President JD Vance, or even President Trump himself, may step in to brief the press during her absence. Politico reported that this approach reflects the White House’s strategy to maintain continuity in communications while accommodating Leavitt’s personal circumstances. Leavitt’s announcement in December marked the beginning of her transition to maternity leave.#white_house #president_donald_trump #karoline_leavitt #susie_wiles #white_house_correspondents_association_dinner
Trump Reveals GOP Congressman's Terminal Diagnosis President Donald Trump disclosed during a news conference that a retiring Republican congressman had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, stating the individual would have "been dead by June" without intervention by White House doctors. The revelation prompted a brief exchange with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, who sat beside Trump and remarked, "OK, that wasn't public." Johnson added, "But yeah, OK. It was grim. That's what I was going to say." The comments referenced Florida Rep. Neal Dunn, a 73-year-old former Army surgeon who announced his retirement from Congress in January after five terms. Dunn’s statement at the time emphasized his decision to "pass the torch to new conservative leaders" and return to Panama City, where he resides. He did not mention his health condition in the announcement, though Trump and Johnson later claimed his heart issues had led to a terminal diagnosis. A spokesperson for Dunn did not immediately comment on the remarks. Dunn’s departure added to a surge in resignations from the House of Representatives, raising concerns among Republicans about their narrow majority ahead of the midterm elections. With the midterms approaching and the GOP facing challenges on key issues like funding for the Iran war, voting restrictions, and healthcare affordability, the party cannot afford further losses. Trump claimed White House doctors conducted emergency surgery on Dunn at Walter Reed Medical Center, describing the procedure as a "long operation" that involved "more stents and more everything than you can have." Johnson noted that Dunn appeared to have "a new lease on life" following the intervention. Trump emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "I did it for him first, and for the vote second.#donald_trump #mike_johnson #neal_dunn #walter_reed_medical_center #susie_wiles
