A harmless selfie is sparking new cosmetic surgery rumors for Karoline Leavitt.
Donald Trump revived his old nickname for the White House press secretary, which adds to rumors that she had work done on her face since working with and under his administration over the last few years. Though she has never confirmed or denied the allegations, this new photo pretty much convinced fans that their speculations are spot on.
The 28-year-old decided to post a few flicks on her Instagram that day during her attendance at Trump National Golf Club for a Christmas event on Dec. 7. The close-up picture only showed her from the chest up as she truly looked like she was in the Christmas spirit. But fans could not ignore the fact that her glossy lips had several red dots spread across them, as if she had been poked several times with a needle.
Her outfit appeared festive and on theme, wearing a white jacket with a red turtleneck underneath, complemented by a half up, half down hairdo. The whole look was accessorized with pearl hoop earrings.
But nothing could deter readers’ focus from her inflamed lips.
One person who wasn’t a fan of how her mouth as transformed said, “Her lips look more clown-like with each passing day. Doesn’t know how to stay inside the lines. Looks like she ate a red popsicle…and then a purple one.”
On MSN, a second person made a joke connecting her lips to her being an aid to the commander in chief. They said, “That’s just bruised lips from kissing Trump’s behind so often.”
Trump also couldn’t help himself after making another bizarre comment about the looks of his chief spokeswoman days later. During his ego-boosting rally in northeastern Pennsylvania on Dec. 9, he addressed the crowd, sharing his enjoyment of watching Leavitt on a television screen.
“Fox, like, I mean, they dominate when she gets up there with that beautiful face and those lips that don’t stop like (bop bop bop) a little machine gun,” he said in a short clip circulating online.
On X, one said, “With the way he constantly describes her lips, am I the only one who thinks she’s Lewinsky-ing him in the White House?” Another said, “Disgusting. Who talks like that? She should feel cheap and disrespected. Gross.”
“Incredible energy tonight in Pennsylvania! Feels good to be out with the PEOPLE,” she added with a heart emoji.
In response, someone else said, “Leavitt herself seems unfazed—she’s leaned into the MAGA spotlight and even posted glowingly about Trump post-remarks—but that doesn’t make the delivery any less… Trumpian.”
View on Threads
Leavitt’s looks have often been a target for people who do not support her or Trump with some observers now claim that she’s undergone a rapid transformation into what they’ve dubbed a “MAGA Barbie,” labeling the shift a so-called “Mar-a-Lago makeover.”
The phrase has become shorthand for the aesthetic many associate with figures in his orbit whose appearances have seemed to change after growing closer to him. According to The Guardian, what categorizes the look is the “bee-sting puffy lips, frozen brows and taut necks.”
How Kimberly Guilfoyle of her pic.twitter.com/VuyYkcUFh3
— Outspoken™️ (@Out5p0ken) September 7, 2025
In Leavitt’s before and after photo — many selected by critics from her social media history — her lips are more prominent and her cheekbones do look like they have grown. Some say even her nose has gotten thinner. Her brows started to look blocky and darker before she received the press secretary position, but the pictures that have gone viral of her when she was younger show her with lighter, much thinner brows.
One of the circulating images dates back to 2017 and shows her holding a small white dog while smiling. Leavitt’s eyebrows appear thinner in that photo, her lips noticeably slimmer, and her nose looks wider — though that could also be the result of lighting. Side by side images do nothing but draw closer attention to her fuller eyebrows, more plump lips, and her noticeably narrower nose.
Though these rumors have been simmering for quite some time, Leavitt stays focused on her role as the youngest press secretary in history, answering questions and deflecting criticism on behalf of her boss, Donald Trump, continuing to brush off commentary about her appearance.
