White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Thursday that she has given birth to her second child, a daughter named Viviana.
“On May 1st, Viviana aka ‘Vivi’ joined our family, and our hearts instantly exploded with love,” Leavitt wrote in an Instagram post.
She said her newborn daughter is “perfect and healthy,” adding that her son Nicholas, known as “Niko,” is “joyfully adjusting to life with his new baby sister.”
On May 1st, Viviana aka “Vivi” joined our family, and our hearts instantly exploded with love. 💕
— Karoline Leavitt (@karolineleavitt) May 7, 2026
She is perfect and healthy, and her big brother is joyfully adjusting to life with his new baby sister. We are enjoying every moment in our blissful newborn bubble.
Thank you to… pic.twitter.com/wM1P1zEGsa
Leavitt said the family is enjoying “every moment” in what she called their “blissful newborn bubble.”
Viviana is Leavitt’s second child with her husband, Nicholas Riccio. Their son, Nicholas Robert Riccio, nicknamed Niko, was born on July 10, 2024, and will turn 2 in July.
Leavitt, 28, first announced her pregnancy in December, sharing that she and Riccio were expecting a baby girl in May. She and Riccio, a real estate developer, got engaged over Christmas in 2023.
Maternity leave from White House
Leavitt left her role as press secretary for maternity leave in April. Her final day at the White House before leave was expected to be Friday, April 24.
However, she briefly returned to duty after the April 24 shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. She later held a last-minute press briefing on April 27, saying it was “prudent” to speak with reporters after the incident.
At the end of that briefing, she joked, “I hope and pray that this is the last time I speak to you for some time until after my maternity leave.”
Cabinet officials step in for briefings
While Leavitt is away, members of the Trump administration are expected to handle regular White House briefings.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a briefing on Tuesday, at times calling the room “chaos” and joking that he did not know reporters’ names. A White House official praised Rubio as “a natural” and highlighted his comments on Iran.
Vice President JD Vance is also expected to appear at the podium. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other senior officials may also be tapped, and officials have suggested President Donald Trump could appear as well.
Historic role as press secretary
Leavitt has served as White House press secretary since President Donald Trump returned to office last year.
She is the youngest White House press secretary in US history and one of eight women to hold the position. She is also the first person to give birth while serving in the role and the first pregnant White House press secretary.
It remains unclear how long Leavitt will stay on maternity leave.
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