Fact Check: Did Karoline Leavitt really tell Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traore 'sit down, boy'?
WASHINGTON, DC: An explosive post about White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Burkina Faso President, Captain Ibrahim Traore, has been doing the rounds on social media.
The viral post claimed that Leavitt leaned forward during a live television appearance, pointed her finger at Traore, and snapped, “Sit down, boy,” a moment that the video’s narrator insists echoed around the world.
As the clip spread rapidly across social media platforms, one pressing question lingered: did the fiery exchange ever actually happen? Let's find out below.
Post claims Karoline Leavitt pointed her finger at Ibrahim Traore and asked him to 'sit down'
A TikTok video from June 18 featuring images of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Burkina Faso’s interim President, Captain Ibrahim Traore, has racked up over 500K views.
Despite offering no verifiable sources, the video includes a dramatic narration that paints a tense scene between the two figures.
The narrator begins, "In the guest chair sat Captain Ibrahim Traore, the young leader of Burkina Faso. He wasn't there to start drama or make headlines. He was invited to discuss African independence and America's role in West Africa. Simple enough.”
They continued, “Right across from him was Karoline Leavitt, a sharp-tongued former political spokesperson known for her cutting remarks and quick comebacks. Now here's where things get interesting. These two weren't supposed to clash. The producers had planned a civilized discussion about foreign policy."
The narration then sets the stage for a dramatic twist. “But sometimes live television has other plans. About 20 minutes into the segment, Capt Traore was calmly explaining his country's perspective on Western involvement in African affairs. His voice was measured, his points well articulated. Nothing controversial, nothing inflammatory, just facts delivered with quiet confidence."
Finally, the video ends with a bold claim. "That's when Karoline made the move that would haunt her forever. She leaned forward, pointed her finger directly at him, and with all the arrogance she could muster, snapped two words that would echo around the world: Sit down, boy,” the narrator said.
Despite the video’s viral reach across social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube, it remains unverified, raising questions about whether this fiery exchange ever actually took place.
Fact Check: False, Karoline Leavitt and Ibrahim Traore have never met
According to fact-checking site Snopes, the viral rumor involving White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Burkina Faso's young leader, Captain Ibrahim Traore, is false, based on several clear indicators.
The videos circulating online appeared scripted, using repeated images of both Leavitt and Traore. Evidence suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) tools were used to generate the visuals, narration, scripting, and sequencing of the clips.
The narrators in the videos often sounded unnatural, frequently pausing mid-sentence or mispronouncing names and other words. Crucially, there is no credible evidence that Leavitt ever spoke to Traore—or even met him.
A Google search revealed only similarly AI-generated videos on social media, while a Google News search turned up no reports of such an exchange. Searches on X (formerly Twitter) for “Karoline Leavitt” and “Ibrahim Traore” also failed to show any record of a joint television appearance.
Even a specific search combining "Karoline Leavitt," "Ibrahim Traore," and the phrase “sit down, boy” yielded no legitimate results. No reputable news or entertainment outlets have reported on any interaction between the two, as per the outlet.
Most tellingly, a disclaimer on the YouTube version of the video clearly reads, "Altered or synthetic content: Sound or visuals were significantly edited or digitally generated," further confirming that the footage is not authentic.
