Trump praises Karoline Leavitt, says ‘Those lips move like a machine gun’ aboard Air Force One

President Donald Trump lauded White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt mid-flight after the Israel peace deal, calling her irreplaceable
PUBLISHED OCT 14, 2025
President Donald Trump praised Karoline Leavitt aboard Air Force One after departing Israel (Getty Images)
President Donald Trump praised Karoline Leavitt aboard Air Force One after departing Israel (Getty Images)


 

CENTRAL DISTRICT, ISRAEL: President Donald Trump made an unusual remark about White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One. He made the comment after departing Israel following the historic Middle East peace deal mediated by his administration, which resulted in a ceasefire and the release of hostages, effectively ending the Gaza conflict.

Donald Trump jokes about replacing Karoline Leavitt

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (R) speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on October 06, 2025 in Washington, DC. Leavitt answered questions from reporters about a range of topics, including the ongoing government shutdown, during the briefing. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke during a briefing on October 6, 2025, in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

During the exchange, Trump asked reporters, “How’s Karoline doing? Is she doing good?” He followed up with, “Should Karoline be replaced?”

When one reporter replied, “That’s up to you, sir,” Trump quickly responded, “It’ll never happen. That face... and those lips, they move like a machine gun, right?”



 

Leavitt, who was also on the plane, shared a clip from the flight on X (formerly Twitter), captioning it, “Hardest working POTUS ever.”

Donald Trump’s earlier remark about Karoline Leavitt

U.S. President Donald Trump, joined by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, speaks to the media as he departs the White House on July 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump is traveling to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to speak at an artificial intelligence and energy summit. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump and Karoline Leavitt addressed the media before departing the White House on July 15, 2025 (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

This wasn’t the first time Trump drew a comparison between Leavitt’s speaking style and a machine gun. In an earlier interview with Newsmax’s Rob Finnerty, “She’s become a star. It’s that face. It’s that brain. It’s those lips—the way they move. They move like she’s a machine gun.”

He added, “She’s a great person, actually. I don’t think anybody has ever had a better press secretary than Karoline. She’s been amazing.”

Karoline Leavitt’s rise as the youngest press secretary

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt takes a question from a reporter during the daily press briefing at the White House on February 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. Leavitt spoke on the prisoner release from Russia, the war in Ukraine, inflation, and took questions on other topics. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Karoline Leavitt took questions from reporters during a White House briefing on February 12, 2025 (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Leavitt began her political career during Trump’s first administration, serving as an assistant press secretary from 2019 to 2021.

After an unsuccessful run for Congress, she joined Trump’s 2024 campaign team as national press secretary and was later appointed to the White House position, becoming the youngest press secretary in U.S. history.

She married real estate developer, Nicholas Riccio in January this year, shortly before Trump’s second inauguration, despite their 31-year age gap.

Earlier this month, she moved into one of the largest offices in the White House after it was vacated by Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich.

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