Barack Obama's Most Bizarre Controversy Is Revived As Gavin Newsom Trolls Karoline Leavitt

These days, it's hard to imagine a time when the president of the United States might have faced backlash over the color of his suit. Believe it or not, though, this happened just over a decade ago. Barack Obama's tan suit controversy was a surprisingly big deal at the time. And it's on our minds again, thanks to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt's latest fashion statement, which was pointed out by none other than Governor of California Gavin Newsom.

Who wore it better? pic.twitter.com/SWpO6xk0Md

— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 15, 2026

On January 15, Karoline Leavitt took the podium in the Press Briefing Room. She discussed ICE targeting Minnesota, dressed in a tan suit eerily similar to the one Obama got so much flak for sporting. Lately, the official account of California Governor Gavin Newsom's Press Office on X (formerly Twitter) has taken to trolling MAGA and the current administration. They did it again after Leavitt's tan suit-clad press briefing, sharing a side-by-side photo of her and Obama in the controversial outfit. "Who wore it better?" the account captioned the photos, subtly pointing out the hypocrisy of the difference between how the two administrations have been treated.

Plenty of commenters answered the question in the caption and, unsurprisingly, seemed to be split down party lines. Some comments argued that the tan suit was, in fact, scandal-worthy when Obama wore it but not when Leavitt did, citing reasons like gender and the difference between their roles. In reality, though, it's hard not to recognize the point being made by the post when looked at in good faith.

In 2014, Barack Obama gave a press conference at the White House. The former president spoke about national security plans with regards to the terror group ISIS. Despite the seriousness of the topic at hand, people were distracted by his press conference attire. He was wearing a suit and tie like anyone might have expected. The problem? The suit was tan. And folks believed that this color made the ensemble look casual — too casual for covering such an important, heavy topic. Based on how presidential standards have changed over the years that followed, it's particularly eye roll-worthy to imagine this being a major issue in the eyes of the public. 

Seeing side-by-side photos of the infamous tan suit next to a similar look on Karoline Leavitt puts how things have changed in stark perspective. And given the extreme gravity of current world events and issues within the United States today, Obama's tan suit controversy feels like a quaint throwback. If President Donald Trump's biggest scandal involved his fashion sense, we'd be living in a much simpler time.