First Thing: Leavitt departs White House press secretary role with Trump’s ratings at historic low

Youngest White House press secretary in history says she wants more time to ‘be the best mom’. Plus, are we losing the battle against AI slop in the music charts?Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up hereGood morning. A familiar face in Donald Trump’s administration is departing, as the US president announced that Karoline Leavitt was stepping down to spend more time with her family. The president said Leavitt, who became the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary on his return to office in January 2025, “will now be one of my top outside advisers”.Trump’s most prominent spokesperson is departing while his approval rating is at a historic low, as voters express discontent over rising prices and a war in Iran that has no end in sight.Why did Leavitt say she was stepping away? Leavitt wrote: “The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy and attention required of the White House press secretary – and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life.”How will Leavitt’s time in the role be remembered? At 27 when she was appointed, Leavitt was the youngest White House press secretary in history. And when she announced she was pregnant in December last year, she became the first ever expectant press secretary. She has faced criticism for saying “Gen Z and those younger than me have been raised with just silver spoons in their mouths”, and for attacking reporters trying to hold the White House to account.What are conditions said to be like onboard? In April, there was a flurry of public criticism about dire conditions onboard the carrier. Photos emerged of poor-quality and rationed food, and there were reports of water shortages, moldy showers and broken laundry machines. Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, dismissed the accounts as “more fake news”.How long has the ship been at sea? The warship left San Diego on 21 November and was originally intended for the Pacific but was redirected to the Middle East once the US-Israel war with Iran began. Since then, the 5,000-plus crew has had only two days on land. The deployment was scheduled to end in May but has been extended amid Trump’s ongoing war. Continue reading...