OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
3:00 PM – Thursday, July 16, 2026
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made a highly anticipated return to the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room on Thursday, taking her place behind the podium for her first full briefing since going on maternity leave in late April.
Stepping up to the microphone, she immediately signaled she was ready to dive back into the fast-paced news cycle.
“Let’s get back to work,” Leavitt declared to the assembled press corps as she kicked off her remarks, highlighting her official return.
Her return to the West Wing follows the birth of her second child, daughter Viviana, in May. While Leavitt had briefly resumed some work duties behind the scenes in late June, Thursday’s appearance was her first time facing the White House press corps for a briefing in nearly three months.
The transition back to the demanding job of press secretary was the subject of the very first question, which came from an independent journalist who asked Leavitt to share her secret to “having it all” as a working mother of two young children under the age of two.
Leavitt responded by describing the realities of balancing a high-profile public service career with motherhood.
“I don’t think there is a secret. You just have to show up every day and keep going,” Leavitt said, offering a glimpse into her personal life while expressing gratitude to her spouse, whom she noted was “home with our babies right now.” Reflecting further on her many responsibilities, she later remarked, “I view this as more than more than a job — I view this as public service,” adding, “I’m blessed to both be working in this job and have two beautiful babies at home.”
The briefing quickly shifted to the pressing matters of the country, as reporters pressed Leavitt on several geopolitical and domestic developments. The press secretary faced a slew of questions regarding escalating international tensions, domestic economic policy and details surrounding President Donald Trump’s planned primetime address to the nation on election integrity.
During her absence, the podium had been occupied by a rotating cast of administration surrogates — including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — who filled the vacuum as briefings became notably less frequent. With her return, the administration now aims to re-establish a steady, solo voice at the podium during a critical legislative and diplomatic window.
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