Karoline Leavitt has built her career on one thing, her unwavering loyalty to Donald Trump.
As White House Press Secretary, she has been his most visible defender, his sharpest attack dog, and the face of an administration that rewards those who ride hardest for the president. But standing that close to power has a cost, and last week it came for Leavitt at the moment she least saw it coming.
The 27-year-old had just stepped away from the podium for one of the most personal moments of her life. On May 7, Leavitt took to X to share the arrival of her new daughter.
“On May 1st, Viviana aka ‘Vivi’ joined our family, and our hearts instantly exploded with love,” a pleased Leavitt wrote.
“She is perfect and healthy, and her big brother is joyfully adjusting to life with his new baby sister. We are enjoying every moment in our blissful newborn…” she added.
What Leavitt didn’t anticipate was that the world she had spent months defending — the airstrikes, the escalations, the casualties she had brushed off from the briefing room podium — was paying close attention. And it had something to say.
Two days later, two Iranian embassies responded with brutal messages for Leavitt.
The Iran Embassy in Armenia wrote, “Congratulations to you. Children are innocent and lovable. Those 168 children that your boss killed in the school in Minab, and you justified, were also children. When you kiss your baby, think of the mothers of those children.”
The Iranian Embassy in South Africa also responded.
“When your child grows up and reads history, she will be ashamed that you served one of the most hated governments in history. Your hands are stained with the blood of many innocent children, like the children of Minab.
Both messages refer to the bombing of an elementary school near an Iranian military installation that President Donald Trump and Defense chief Pete Hegseth mistakenly targeted on the first day of their unapproved war on Tehran on Feb. 28, according to a preliminary investigation by the U.S. military.
The missile strike hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Iran, killing more than 150 children and numerous school staffers.
In early March Leavitt was asked about whether the U.S. was responsible for the deadly school strike.
“Uh, not that we know of, Sean, and the Department of War is investigating this matter,” she said during the daily press briefing. “And I would just tell you strongly, the United States of America does not target civilians, unlike the rogue Iranian regime, that … uses propaganda quite effectively. And unfortunately, many people in this room have fallen for that propaganda.”
The Associated Press reported a week later that outdated military intelligence likely led to the school bombing. The investigation is ongoing at this point.
Social media quickly piled on Leavitt.
“I don’t know how she’s going to sleep after reading this reply from Iran. only the heartless can,” an X user noted.
Another agreed, “Man that’s deep. Any decent person would quit that job immediately.”
Joe H simply added, “This is gold!”
But others called out Iran suggesting the posts are actually veiled threats and a “a mob-style intimidation tactic.”
“This isn’t a congratulatory message. It’s a mob-style intimidation tactic dressed up in polite language. Everyone with two functioning brain cells knows exactly what this is: a veiled physical threat meant to send a message without saying the words outright,” PatriotJosh pointed out.
This X user chimed in, “They need to cope harder. Like she even looks at these posts. They just look like trolls.”
