The Time Elon Musk Tried (& Failed) To Keep His Eyes Off Karoline Leavitt's Tight Leather Look

Too bad, so sad: The Donald Trump-Elon Musk bromance seems to be over for good, with the former besties lobbing online insults and allegations at each other like a pair of feuding eighth-graders. Unless they manage to patch things up fast, the lonely leftover Tesla Musk gifted the president seems doomed to gather dust in the White House garage for eternity. On the plus side (for us, at least), having the multibillionaire out of the picture means an end to the many awkward Muskian stunts to which we've been treated in recent months. His infamous onstage leaping during Trump's campaign is the most obvious example, as is his insistence on bringing his son X to Oval Office events for no apparent reason (other than to make his other hundred children jealous, perhaps). But one of Musk's cringiest moments might have eluded your attention. This one centered not on the president, but on one of his most prominent staff members: Karoline Leavitt, the youngest White House press secretary in history.

Back in March 2025, Trump, Leavitt, and Musk were captured on camera departing the presidential helicopter and walking the short distance on the tarmac to Air Force One. Leavitt walked a few paces ahead of Musk, and it seemed Musk's attention was on her snug-fitting black leather pants. Several times, his focus drifted to her rear before he looked quickly away. Some commenters on the viral YouTube video didn't see it that way, calling it "a nothingburger" and "the least awkward that I've ever seen him." Others snickered at the DOGEFather's attempts at propriety. "[H]e did it the right way," said one. "There is a pattern. You don't stare. You look, then look away, repeat repeat." And, yes, some viewers played a card which could explain Leavitt's odd-seeming wardrobe choices. 

The viral video of Elon Musk appearing to peek at Karoline Leavitt's backside was no doubt intended to poke fun at the billionaire's horndogginess. Considering Musk has fathered 14 children by five different mothers, his rep as a ladies' man is well established. But some reactions to the clip were much less funny, with commenters opining that Leavitt brought the supposed ogling on herself by dressing as she did. "What would you do if you had leather pants squeaking and someone's butt parked 6 inches from your face?" said a user. Another added, "You don't wear those pants and be worried about someone looking at you." More than one remark referred to her "cake."

Leavitt may not have seen the video or the reactions, but she surely knows the dilemma of being an attractive young woman in a job that puts her among some of the most powerful men in the country. Maybe that's why the presidential press secretary is more often seen in long skirts, pantsuits, and outdated styles than more figure-flattering ensembles. If she avoids the thirst-trap outfits, she also avoids the inevitable wink-wink comments about why President Trump might have hired her over older and more experienced candidates. Plus, provocative wear doesn't always spell success in TrumpWorld. Kimberly Guilfoyle's inappropriate style is thought to be one of the reasons she never made it to the altar with Donald Trump Jr. So we probably won't be seeing much of those leather pants, at least until after 2028, when Leavitt will return to civilian life again.