President Donald Trump was right to call Karoline Leavitt his “superstar,” but he likely never imagined that she would steal his spotlight.
His former press secretary stepped away from her White House podium for the last time in late August.
Leavitt said stepping away from the daily demands of supporting the president would allow her to be a more present wife and mother.
Leavitt and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, are parents to their two-year-old son, Niko, and five-month-old daughter, Viviana.
In her resignation, the outspoken communications professional wrote that she “felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary.”
Trump praised Leavitt for doing a phenomenal job but also jeered that she “decided she loved her children more than she loved Donald Trump. I’m very upset about this,” during a White House gathering last month.
Although Leavitt may be distancing herself from the administration’s day-to-day agenda, she is still generating buzz — this time, largely about herself.
The mother of two caught supporters by surprise on Sunday, Sept. 27, when she briefly went live on Instagram. She was in bed with her infant when she realized the mistake and quickly ended the broadcast.
“Just accidentally went live while trying to edit a reel LOL. Sorry to those who got excited…but maybe I should go live soon and I can answer some questions from you guys?! For now, we are going to take our Sunday nap. Byeeee!” wrote Leavitt in an Instagram Story post addressing the gaffe.
“’Accidently’ went live with full make-up, hair, and filter activated. Just another lie,” quipped one person. Leavitt appeared to have remnants of makeup on at the time.
The mishap drew 1,157 viewers, which at first might not seem like an issue. However, sleuths soon realized that Trump’s much-hyped streaming debut for Trump TV flopped spectacularly next to Leavitt’s accidental Live.
The White House’s continuous livestream reportedly drew just 179 viewers.
Trump’s team established the 24/7 news stream, which also features replays of his public engagements, on Sept. 21, amid the White House’s ban on reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
The Trump administration had announced the ban on Sept. 18, and reporters from the three outlets were subsequently denied access to the White House and had their press credentials revoked or confiscated.
His attempt to control the media was a response to what he called “fake news” publishing unflattering stories about him. A federal judge ultimately ordered him to reinstate press badges for the ostracized outlets.
Still, hecklers could not resist comparing Leavitt’s pull to her former boss.
An individual scoffed, “Ha, how do they know how many people are watching Trump TV when I checked it, it didn’t show you how many people were watching?”
Someone else judging Leavitt’s viewership wondered, “Why were there any?”
“Oh she mad at him tell on him,” a third person suggested.
A fourth individual comically remarked, “So from a few hundred to a couple thousand. Lmao out of 340 million plus people a couple thousands oooo.”
Leavitt’s new role reunites her with MAGA Inc., a Trump super PAC, where she worked as a spokesperson.
She has appeared on Fox News, where she spoke favorably about the president and on the “Hang Out with Hannity” podcast, where she spoke about behind-the-scenes moments.
Leavitt is also reportedly pitching a book about her time in the White House. Gossipers anticipate it will be a salacious “tell-all.”
Karoline Leavitt humiliates Trump in Instagram post made accidentally from bed 2709026
— john l (@Maeestro) September 28, 2026
Leavitt accidentally opened a live stream while reclining in bed alongside her infant daughter, Viviana, who is five months old. The 29-year-old appeared startled and killed the broadcast. pic.twitter.com/KbUrGBFP2Z
