After her strong performance against ABC’s Good Morning America host Michael Strahan, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has continued to gain praise.
During their interview, Strahan was caught off guard when Leavitt defended President Donald Trump’s push to bring federal workers back to Washington, D.C. He raised concerns that doctors and scientists might resign rather than return to the office five days a week. Leavitt responded sharply, pointing out that “most doctors who work in actual hospitals and medical institutions have to show up in the office.”
Leavitt’s supporters quickly rallied behind her, dubbing her the “grim reaper” for news hosts like Strahan, a former NFL player. One user on X wrote, “Karoline Leavitt just took another soul on live TV,” while others shared memes of a cloaked figure with a scythe to mark her victory. The exchange quickly went viral, racking up over three million views.
At just 27, Leavitt is the youngest press secretary in history and has already gained strong backing from Trump and his supporters. In her debut at the White House press briefing room, she announced a major shift—offering press access to influencers, bloggers, and independent media outlets. “If you are producing legitimate news content, no matter the medium, you will be allowed to apply for press credentials in this White House,” she stated. Within hours, over 7,400 people had signed up.
Away from work, Leavitt spends time with her husband, Nicholas Riccio, and their baby son, Niko. She expressed gratitude to Trump campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita for offering her a job even while she was pregnant.
After giving birth in July, she returned to work just three days later following the attempted assassination of Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. “The president literally put his life on the line to win this election. The least I could do is get back to work quickly,” she said.
Leavitt has credited Trump for valuing work ethic above all else. “He doesn’t care if you’re a man or a woman, with kids or no kids. He just wants the hardest worker and the best person for the job,” she explained. Despite acknowledging the challenges of balancing work and motherhood, she considers the opportunity an honor, telling supporters, “This job is temporary, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime, and I know one day he will be proud of his mama.”
Her direct approach has drawn attention before. In June, she went viral after criticizing CNN debate moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash for bias. When CNN anchor Kasie Hunt cut off her microphone and ended the interview, refusing to allow attacks on her colleagues, supporters praised Leavitt’s toughness.
Leavitt has continued to defend Trump’s order for federal workers to return to the office, arguing that employees are more productive in an in-person environment. Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to implement return-to-office plans. “The American people are funding this government, and they deserve workers who actually show up,” she emphasized.
She also pointed out that only six percent of federal workers in Washington, D.C. are currently in the office full-time, while millions of taxpayer dollars are wasted on empty buildings. “Look at these beautiful buildings in this city—they’ve been here for decades, and they’re sitting empty,” she noted.
Earlier this week, Trump introduced an option allowing federal workers to take a buyout, offering full pay and benefits until September if they choose to resign by February 6.
