Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt isn’t the face of MAGA, but as Donald Trump’s mouthpiece at times, she is a big representative of what he wants to say to the American people. Because of that, and probably because of who Leavitt actually is, she has critics of her own. Maybe that’s why she allowed a video to be posted of her trying to seem like a totally normal and chill 20-something gal who you would love if you gave her a chance.
The video, re-shared on TikTok, shows Leavitt answering an apparent fan question to the camera about what people might be surprised to know about her. And the entire little clip is giving “I’m not like a regular press secretary. I’m a cool press secretary,” a la Mean Girls. We all know the clip, and Leavitt is serving that big time in the video.
Karoline Leavitt’s hair and makeup artist posted the video.
@iamlorenp Podcast drama! Host questions Karoline Leavitt's personality, calling her 'silly' and rejecting her attempts to seem attractive. Files demanded! #PoliticalTok #News #CurrentEvents #KarolineLeavitt #PodcastClips ♬ original sound – LOREN
The video was re-shared on TikTok, but it reportedly originally came from her hair and makeup artist, Brittany Danielle’s, personal social media accounts. Danielle has done glam for other members of Trump’s team and her Instagram is full of photos and videos depicting her life at the White House.
In the video in question, though, Leavitt speaks to the camera and shares what she thinks people need to know about her.
At first, Leavitt rasps out, “I don’t know” with a big goofy smile. Then she says, “I don’t think people realize that I am silly,” Leavitt says in the clip. I’m funny. I think. Yeah. Well, ‘cause when I’m out at the podium, I’m, like, getting after it, but I’m not like that in real life. So you just have to get to know me to know the real me.”
She also seems vaguely flirty in the video. Maybe this is Leavitt at ease in a way that people hadn’t seen her before now, but it also comes across as a bit much for some.
Danielle, for her part, is a dedicated MAGA supporter, as evidenced by a patriotic photo on her Instagram with Trump himself.
She told IW Features that she has gotten death threats because of her close proximity to the Trump Administration.
“People talk so much trash, and they don’t know the situation,” she told the outlet. “The criticism that comes with working with a politician, it’s harsh. A lot of times they’re attacking not the makeup artist, but they’re attacking the politician, and you just happen to get wrapped up in it.”
She was called out for being fake and “performative.”
The users who commented on the re-shared video on TikTok weren’t really sure what to make of Leavitt’s video and her claims of being a funny, silly person. Some called her out for her weird disposition, while others said she is being performative and cringey, plain and simple.
“This is so performative it’s giving me the uncanny valley feeling,” a user commented on the video.
“This is an appropriate time to use the word cringe,” another person agreed.
But that wasn’t enough for a different TikTok user who responded, “I think cringe is a little bit too much of an understatement. More like full body recoil.”
Critics questioned the reason behind the video as a whole.
As far as the supposed flirtatious nature of Leavitt’s response to the question in the video, users also want to know why she speaks to the stylist off-camera in the way she does. Again, this could just be a totally at least Leavitt that people aren’t used to. Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to figure out the point behind the video.
“This is some «casting couch» type interview,” one person joked.
Another questioned, “Who was she flirting with??!!!!” Not sure if that’s supposed to be a joke or not, but other people want to know the same thing.
But, another shared, they believe they know the true reason behind the impromptu interview. They wrote, “She now knows Trump is done. She now knows unless she immediately and completely changes tack, she’s done. Hence this little surprise ‘silly oooh I’m goofy and fun’ video.”
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