Karoline Leavitt's Out-Of-Touch Influencer Attempt Hints Her White House Life May Be Ready To Implode
After less than a year on the job, Karoline Leavitt seems to be burning out as Donald Trump's mouthpiece. When she's not dutifully following the president around on his travels or defending his every move to reporters, the White House press secretary hurries home to her husband, Nicholas Riccio, and their toddler son, Niko. There, she can enjoy chilling at the beach, having lunch with friends, and just generally forgetting about politics for a moment. Judging by the memories the Trump staffer shares of her days off, she might be looking to switch gears and pursue a different path since even Leavitt's summer reads about tradwife life hint that she's getting tired of Trumpworld. But if she's looking to leave D.C. and rival mom-influencers like Ballerina Farm, she'll have to curate her posts a little more carefully.
Over this past weekend, Leavitt shared a series of photos to her Instagram Stories: One of herself and Niko dressed up (for church, we're guessing), followed by before-and-after shots of the dinner she prepared. "Chicken piccata incoming," Leavitt captioned a photo of her ingredients, followed by a video of the meal in progress ("If you could only smell my kitchen...it's delish!"). Yet, as much as she may have wanted to position herself as a relatable everymom, her pics gave away her tone-deafness. The grocery haul came from Whole Foods — not the best optics at a time when most Americans are worried about the economy. She also chose organic products, which would have bumped up the total price even more. And how many mothers would dare to serve their kids a dish with capers and lemon-butter sauce?
Karoline Leavitt could reinvent herself
At least Karoline Leavitt's Carote pot is from one of the more reasonably priced brands out there. Still, if she wants to develop a following among women who aren't connected to Palm Beach society, she'll have to try a little harder. Being the youngest-ever White House press secretary is an achievement no one is likely to top, and it will always stand out on her résumé. But will she be able to keep up the momentum 'til January 2028? In addition to the demands of the job and the time it takes away from her young son, the seeming lack of respect could be wearing her down. Donald Trump recently gave Leavitt some really creepy praise, noting not just her intelligence but also "her face...her lips, the way they move, like she's a machine gun," (per Mediaite). No president would dare say that about a male staffer, and no boss of any kind would do so without risking a harassment complaint.
Whether or not she stays in it for the long haul, she's in a good position to become an influencer once her time in the press room is over. Leavitt's habit of dressing older than her years might get in the way of becoming a fashion role model — or, conversely, she could leverage it into a trend. Ultra-conservative women à la Michelle Duggar could become fans, or we might just see Gen Alphas and Betas reaching for long skirts and sweaters. If Leavitt becomes a regular at Aldi and throws together some wings along with the piccata, there could even be a cookbook in her future. Or maybe she'll try her hand at home renovation and real estate. We can just see the title of her HGTV show: "Love It Or Leavitt."