Trump snubs Karoline Leavitt, walks past her without a handshake at NCAA wrestling championships

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: It looks like President Donald Trump may have just given a cold shoulder to his own press secretary at the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The MAGA leader was flanked by several big names in his administration as he made his grand entrance at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday, March 22.

Donald Trump appears to ignore Karoline Leavitt at NCAA wrestling championships

In a moment caught on video and shared to social media, Donald Trump was seen shaking hands with various officials—including Pennsylvania Sen Dave McCormick and Ohio Rep Jim Jordan, according to the Irish Star.

However, when he reached White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt—one of his most loyal defenders—he appeared to walk right past her without a handshake.

Also spotted alongside Trump was Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

This was a big moment for Trump as it marked his first return to Pennsylvania since winning the swing state in the 2024 presidential election. 

Naturally, he was greeted with a chorus of "USA" chants from a packed arena. The energy was electric, but for Leavitt that missed handshake might have been the real shock of the night.

Donald Trump's big wrestling night out

Before heading to the arena, Donald Trump spoke about his enthusiasm for the event. "We’re going to the big fight. The reason I’m going is in Philadelphia. They have the NCAA, world, wrestling for college. And I’ve always supported the wrestlers," he told reporters.

He made it clear he was there to back the athletes. "I want to support them. These are the great college wrestlers from the various schools," he added.

The Wells Fargo Arena resounded as Trump entered to a standing ovation. Fans cheered, waved, and chanted “USA, USA” as he took center stage.

The moment was so big that even ESPN cut away from an interview with national champion Carter Starocci just to capture Trump's entrance.

Later in the night, Starocci himself got a personal moment with Trump, shaking hands and posing for a photo with his brand-new championship trophy.

Leavitt appeared to have ignored the aforementioned snub as she posted a pic of Trump playfully "wrestling" with the caption, "Coolest. President. Ever."

Wrestlers love Donald Trump

As mentioned, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) joined Trump for the sporting spectacle.

For those who don’t know, Jordan is a former NCAA Division I wrestling champion who took home the title twice while at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He even went on to coach wrestling at Ohio State University, as per the New York Post.

Meanwhile, the wrestlers competing on Saturday were also pumped.

Minnesota Gophers heavyweight champion Gable Steveson told reporters ahead of the event: "We’re going to put on a good show for him. Him showing up Saturday night, he’s coming to watch some of the best wrestling on earth, and we’re going to give that to him."

Meanwhile, Starocci, who made history as the first five-time Division I national champion, was just as excited.

"I’m looking forward to it," he told reporters. "[President Trump] came to nationals my sophomore year and it was really cool. He’s obviously a big fan of combat sports, he’s at all the UFC events. It’s good for our sport."

Karoline Leavitt: Donald Trump's fiercest defender

Karoline Leavitt—the woman who may or may not have been snubbed—has been one of Donald Trump's staunchest defenders since he took office the second time.

At just 27 years old, Leavitt made history as the youngest-ever White House press secretary. 

Her connection to the president goes way back—she first landed a White House internship as a college student during his first term. Since then, she’s been climbing the ranks, working under former press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik before landing the coveted press secretary role.

According to Business Insider, Leavitt was out on the campaign trail while pregnant—and returned to work just four days after giving birth to her son.