Trump's Odd Focus on Leavitt's Lips: What's Behind It?
Karoline Leavitt at her first press conference in 2025. Photo courtesy of @WhiteHouse on YouTube. Public domain.
President Donald Trump once again turned heads during a post-Israel press gaggle by veering off script to comment on White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's lips. The 79-year-old president asked reporters if Leavitt should be replaced, then quickly shut down the idea with a peculiar compliment: "That face ... those lips, they move like a machine gun." The remark, delivered aboard Air Force One, left observers blinking and wondering if they'd just witnessed a new chapter in presidential communication.
From Diplomacy to Lip Service
After wrapping up a trip to Israel and Egypt, where Trump signed a Middle East peace deal and oversaw the release of hostages, he spent 15 minutes answering questions from the press. Midway through, the conversation took an unexpected detour. Trump shifted from discussing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to his press secretary's physical features.
"How's Karoline doing? Is she doing good?" he asked, as reported by the Daily Beast. When a reporter replied, "That's up to you, sir," Trump was quick to respond, "It'll never happen. That face... and those lips, they move like a machine gun, right?"
Leavitt, 28, was on the plane and later shared a photo on her X account, calling Trump the "Hardest working POTUS ever," as reported by The Independent. Though she did not comment directly on the lip remark, her post came shortly after the gaggle.
This was not the first time Trump used the phrase. In an August 2025 Newsmax interview, he praised Leavitt similarly, saying her lips moved "like she's a machine gun," and calling her "a star" and "amazing," as reported by The Daily Beast.
Who Is Karoline Leavitt?
Leavitt's rise has been swift and closely tied to Trump's orbit. She served as an assistant press secretary during his first term from 2019 to 2021. After a failed congressional bid in New Hampshire, she rejoined Trump's team in January 2024 as national press secretary during his campaign. Following Trump's second inauguration, she became the youngest White House press secretary in history.
In her personal life, Leavitt married real estate developer Nicholas Riccio in early 2025. Riccio is more than 30 years her senior. She also had a son in July 2024.
The Compliment That Keeps on Giving
Trump's recurring remarks about Leavitt's lips fit a longstanding pattern of commenting on women's appearances. This rhetorical style — mixing admiration with eyebrow-raising phrasing — has marked his public communication for years.
During past events, Trump has made similar comments about other women in his administration or orbit. For instance, during an August Cabinet meeting, he said of Attorney General Pam Bondi, "I look at Pam. I would never say she's beautiful, because that's gonna be the end of my political career," as reported by The Independent.
Speaking about Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on the 2024 presidential campaign trail, Trump said, "You know you're not allowed to say she's beautiful, so I'm not going to say that," before adding, "Don't let that look fool you. She's tough," as reported by The Independent.
According to The Week, Trump's history of controversial remarks includes calling Stormy Daniels "Horseface," referring to Carly Fiorina with "Look at that face. Would anybody vote for that?", and famously commenting about Megyn Kelly, "You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her... wherever."
Trump's comments about his own daughter Ivanka have raised eyebrows too. He once said, "She does have a very nice figure ... if [she] weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her," as reported by The Week. And when asked about his wife Melania, he reportedly asked, "How do the breasts look?" when discussing whether he'd stay with her if she were disfigured in a car crash.
During his recent U.K. state visit, Trump complimented the Princess of Wales on her appearance, saying, "You're so beautiful, so beautiful," as reported by The Independent.
The Reaction
The repeated focus on Leavitt's lips moving "like a machine gun" has drawn a mix of reactions. Some see it as a quirky compliment, others as a jarring departure from presidential norms. Leavitt herself has not publicly addressed the remarks but continues to show support for Trump, sharing praise for his work ethic during the recent Middle East trip.
Trump's style of blending personal observations with political messaging is well established. His remarks about Leavitt's lips are a vivid example of how personality and power often collide in his public statements.
As Trump's second term unfolds, this interplay between personal commentary and official duties is likely to remain a defining feature of his presidency.
References: Trump, 79, Can't Stop Talking About Karoline Leavitt's Lips | Trump again makes a weird statement about Karoline Leavitt's lips: 'They move like a machine gun, right' | Donald Trump heaps praise on Karoline Leavitt's lips with yet another bizarre comment | Things Donald Trump has said about women
