Most people believed the usual laudatory answer when Donald Trump was asked on Newsmax what he thought of his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt. Instead, they felt what felt more like a clumsy dating show audition than a political moment.
“She’s become a star. It’s that face. It’s that brain. It’s those lips, the way they move,” Donald Trump exclaimed, “they move like she’s a machine gun.” Then he described her as “a great person” and wanted to know whether she was close by.
The comment quickly went viral on social media after it was broadcast on August 1. The amount of emphasis on Karoline Leavitt’s lips made many uncomfortable, even though Trump’s history of exaggerated praise is well known. One X (previously Twitter) user wrote, “Anyone else think Trump’s comment is creepy and bizarre?” “Ew,” wrote another. “The worst part is she probably likes this too.”
The age difference between Leavitt and her 64-year-old husband, Nicholas Riccio, was even made fun of by some, who implied that Trump was within dating range himself. The conversation drove up the rumors about Trump’s marital status.
There has long been debate about Melania Trump‘s relative lack of public presence, and her fascination with female staff members only amps up interest. Trump has a history of surrounding himself with “Melania lookalikes” in his inner circle, as author Michael Wolff recently asserted on The Daily Beast Podcast, deeming it a type of “s–ual surrogacy.”
The leap was clear to some people online. An observer said, “From a very certain perspective, [you] can actually see the similarity between Melania and Karoline Leavitt.” Leavitt’s own Instagram posts, such as one from July in which she cuddled up for a happy picture with Trump, haven’t done much to quell rumors. She was made fun of by critics as a “Botox Barbie with her next husband.”
The lines between work and personal life have been blurred by Trump’s staff members before. Known as Trump’s “human printer” during his first term, Natalie Harp is said to have left him sweet letters buried between piles of documents. At the time, Trump said, “She just loves her president,” dismissing it. Critics now question whether Karoline Leavitt is following in Harp’s footsteps.
Karoline Leavitt, 27, married a 60 year old Real Estate developer in 2023 and promptly had a child. I’m sure his money had nothing to do with it.
At least we know how she got the job now.
Nicholas Ricco was 32 when Leavitt was born and 51 when she graduated high school.
At… pic.twitter.com/v5McmsQfnH
— Ryan Shead (@RyanShead) January 29, 2025
Her work habits point to more than just a commitment to her career. Karoline Leavitt terminated her maternity leave a few days after giving birth in order to resume her campaign trail after President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt in July 2024. She faced criticism for leaving her baby behind, but she defended the choice as a historic duty.
Plus, there are framed pictures of her with Donald Trump in her West Wing office, but notably none of her husband. The missing piece was quickly pointed out by social media trolls: “No pictures of her husband making sizable contributions to the campaign?”
She remains anchored in Donald Trump’s orbit even when she takes vacations. Karoline Leavitt has even framed her family time around the president’s, ranging from July 4th celebrations at the White House to vacations to Mar-a-Lago.
Karoline Leavitt is basically Trump’s mini-me in heels—and it’s glorious.
She shreds reporters, exposes the nonsense, and takes zero BS.
No wonder the media can’t handle her.😏 pic.twitter.com/oPmgW08UCZ
— Desiree (@DesireeAmerica4) March 19, 2025
The Trump-Leavitt connection seems to be limited to memes and whispers.
Yet this raises a more crucial question — has the president gone too far in publicly obsessing over the appearance of his young press secretary? And more importantly, what role does Melania play in all of this, if any?
Karoline Leavitt might be more than just another loyal employee if Wolff’s “Melania clones” theory is correct; she might be a mirror reflecting Trump’s fixation on his wife’s absence. Critics, however, saw the eerie “lips” remark as more than just a slip-up.
