Donald Trump and Karoline Leavitt’s alleged clash at the US Open has sparked speculation. The moment that was caught on camera has managed to capture the attention of the public. The incident unfolded after Leavitt gave the President’s daughter a command that Trump directly went against.
The President and a few of his family members attended the men’s finals of the U.S. Open recently. The match took place at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York on Sunday afternoon.
Spectators, athletes, and everyone present at the venue reportedly had to put up with delays caused by the additional security checkpoints set up due to the President’s presence at the game. At some point in the game, the cameras panned to Trump, who waved at the camera and the people in the stadium.
An interaction between Arabella Trump and Karoline Leavitt that unfolded at the same time has become a topic of discussion between netizens. An expert lip reader who spoke to the Irish Star has dissected the moment while revealing exactly what Leavitt’s command to the President’s granddaughter was.
Nicola Hickling, who is a professional lip reader, labelled the moment as a “charged” one. “Donald Trump, while standing in the stands, turns to his granddaughter [Arabella] in the green dress and says, ‘Come over here, darling,'” the expert shares.
The professional goes on to explain how Leavitt mouths a “no” while looking at the interaction with an “open-mouthed expression.” It is unclear if the Press Secretary’s command came as a security protocol or something else.
Just President Trump being booed at the US Open pic.twitter.com/2i2zpFTUer
— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) September 7, 2025
Leavitt doesn’t put up a fight to have her way as she abandons her command when Trump’s granddaughter steps by his side. The Press Secretary is then seen looking away from the President and clapping the next moment.
The 79-year-old took Arabella’s wrist to direct her towards his other side, away from Leavitt and Pam Bondi. Hickling notes how “striking” the exchange between the group looks. “Trump’s words suggest a protective, almost possessive gesture, inviting his granddaughter closer to him,” she adds.
She points out how Karoline’s “firm ‘no’” seems like a “counterpoint whether to stop her moving, to maintain order, or to shield her from the shifting dynamic in that charged moment.”
The lip reader speculates why the President wants his granddaughter to “move away” from Leavitt. “Was it instinct, security, etiquette, or something more subtle unfolding in front of the cameras?” Heckling questions.
Despite media networks being ordered to try drown it out, Trump gets clearly boo’d at the US Open during the national anthem. The most hated president in the history of America. pic.twitter.com/iNkoaBvhiU
— J.Rudd (@jeffrudd31) September 7, 2025
Simultaneously, as the interaction unfolded, some members of the audience were heard booing the President as he waved at them. The booing was likely a reaction to the delays caused during the game due to the Secret Service’s additional protocols.
“We recognize that enhanced security for the President’s visit to the US Open may have contributed to delays for attendees,” the Secret Service acknowledged in a statement after the game. The statement went on to thank attendees for their “patience and understanding” at the event.
