Pat Adams, trusted ‘right hand’ to Karoline Leavitt, leaves White House as multiple Trump aide departures continue, report finds
Pat Adams, deputy assistant and former press adviser to President Donald Trump, as well as a close aide to Karoline Leavitt, has left the White House after 20 months, becoming the latest senior staff member to depart the administration.
Adams confirmed his departure on September 16, posting on X: “After 20 historic months serving President Trump, yesterday was my last day at the White House. Working with my friend @KarolineLeavitt & our incredible press team was the most fun and rewarding job I’ve ever had.”
Pat Adams leaves White House after 20 months
Senior CBS News White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs first reported Adams’ departure, which an administration official later confirmed to The Daily Beast.
Before his role as deputy assistant, Adams was a special assistant to Trump. He also served as a presidential writer during Trump’s first administration and as associate director of strategic communications for Trump’s 2020 campaign, according to The Daily Beast.
His departure follows a long professional relationship with Leavitt, who stepped down as White House press secretary in August.
Adams was closely linked to Karoline Leavitt
Adams and Leavitt first met as junior staffers during Trump’s first term. He later assisted with her congressional campaign in New Hampshire.
Politico described Adams as Leavitt’s “former right hand,” and Jacobs reported that he handled much of the behind-the-scenes work for the White House press operation.
During Leavitt’s maternity leave, Adams led the press team and prepared Cabinet officials for public appearances.
Jacobs wrote on X: “One example: Rubio tends to reject staff prep before public appearances, and didn’t want to waste time on it before his guest briefing May 5 while Karoline Leavitt was on maternity leave, I’m told. Adams, who managed the press team in Leavitt’s absence, roped Rubio into it, and did a murder board, pounding him with predicted questions.”
“Every question we asked Rubio that day had been on the list Adams had pulled together, one of his colleagues told me,” she added.
His departure follows other senior exits
Adams departs as several other senior Trump administration officials have also left in recent months.
Leavitt’s departure was followed by deputy national security adviser Andy Baker. James Braid is scheduled to leave his role as Director of Legislative Affairs at the end of September.
Paige Willey, Deputy Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, has also officially announced her departure from the White House, according to Axios.
White House staffers pay tribute to Adams
Following the announcement of his departure, several current and former Republican communications staffers praised Adams’ work.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle called him “a true American Patriot” and “an incredible asset” to the president’s press office. White House digital strategy head Kaelan Dorr wrote that Adams “will be missed greatly,” while former White House communications official Alex Pfeiffer called him “the best.”
Adams ended his announcement on X, writing, “Forever grateful. America is the greatest country in the world!”