White House deputy national security adviser Andy Baker, 46, will leave the Trump administration in the coming weeks, officials confirmed Friday, August 14, 2026, marking the second major resignation in just days as staff departures from the executive mansion continue apace.
The announcement comes as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, 28, prepares to exit at the end of August 2026, citing her wish to devote more time to her two young children, including her second child born in May. President Donald Trump praised Leavitt as “one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office.”
In an interview with Fox News National Correspondent Alexis McAdams, Trump said he was “very concerned” that Leavitt “likes her children more than she likes Trump” and described her as “irreplaceable.”
Leavitt’s Family Decision, Baker’s National Security Role
Leavitt explained she could no longer “be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary.” Political analysts and PR expert David E. Johnson suggest Trump was “genuinely surprised” by Leavitt’s resignation and did not expect or want her to leave. Alina Habba is being floated as a potential replacement, with prediction market Kalshi listing her with a 39% chance. Trump spent the weekend at his Bedminster estate with Habba present.
While Leavitt occupied a highly visible role, Baker operated largely behind the scenes yet wielded considerable influence over foreign policy in Trump’s second term. He had “emerged as a key figure” in Vice President JD Vance’s orbit, exercising significant influence over both the vice president’s approach to foreign policy and critical White House national security matters.
Baker accompanied Vance to the Munich Security Conference in February 2026. According to sources, he attended the June 2025 Situation Room meeting when Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities were bombed and took part in negotiations over the Ukraine conflict working with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law.
Transition and Praise
According to an individual familiar with Baker’s plans, he postponed leaving for multiple months to facilitate a seamless transition to those taking over his responsibilities. Cliff Sims, who took over as national security adviser to Vice President Vance earlier this summer, will stay in that position, and Mike Needham will keep his job as White House deputy national security adviser. Baker plans to enter the private sector alongside Robert O’Brien, Trump’s fourth national security adviser from his initial presidency.
In a statement, Baker said he took pride in what the administration had achieved and thanked the president, Vice President, and Secretary Rubio for allowing him to serve. Vice President Vance called Baker “an exceptionally gifted, deeply thoughtful advisor” who had served “with distinction” and described him as “an indispensable member” of the national security team. In his own statement, Secretary of State Rubio called Baker “an invaluable asset” who “greatly advanced the America First agenda,” while Needham called him “a brilliant foreign policy mind and close friend” and Witkoff said Baker had “worked tirelessly to put America first and get deals done for the President around the world.”
Widening Wave of Departures
The dual departures have heightened attention on personnel turnover within the president’s closest advisers as the 80-year-old chief executive faces a challenging midterm election season ahead. The continuing flow of staff leaving the West Wing appears unrelenting.
In late July 2026, Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson, 29, revealed she would depart her position paying $121,500 annually to take a job at political strategy firm OnMessage Public Strategies. Jackson had come to the White House press operation in March 2025 following her time as communications director for Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, with her last day being Aug. 7. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller praised Jackson as “a communications powerhouse, demonstrating at all times the highest degree of tenacity, integrity, professionalism and talent.”
White House Director of Cabinet Affairs Lea Bardon departed in April 2026 to become executive vice president at The Sovereign Advisors, a Washington, D.C.-based public affairs firm. Bardon had been a central figure in crafting the administration’s public messaging, overseeing communications, Cabinet affairs, and speechwriting. Weeks after Bardon’s exit, Sonny Joy Nelson, a special assistant to Trump who served as director of media affairs and had been part of his communications team dating back to his 2024 presidential campaign and in various capacities since 2020, announced her own resignation and launched a media booking and communications consultancy called Cornerstone Strategics.
Alex Pfeiffer, one of the administration’s senior communications staffers, had already left in September 2025 after roughly nine months in his role. The Trump White House has seen a string of departures in recent months spanning communications, policy, and press operations.
