All the times Donald Trump has been distracted by Karoline Leavitt's 'machine gun' lips

Karoline Leavitt, the 28-year-old White House press secretary, has often been in the spotlight but not for her professional performance. Instead, former President Donald Trump has repeatedly focused on her appearance, particularly her lips, sparking widespread criticism.

Although Trump maintains a working relationship with Leavitt, multiple incidents have highlighted how he seems distracted by her looks rather than her work. In one of his most infamous remarks, he praised her “beautiful face” and described her lips as a “machine gun,” a comment that many labeled as “creepy” and inappropriate.

“Machine gun” lips

In October, aboard Air Force One, Trump addressed a journalist’s question about Leavitt’s performance. He not only confirmed she wouldn’t be replaced but added, “She does a great job. And those lips? They move like a machine gun.” Leavitt jokingly responded, “That is entirely up to you, sir,” but online critics were quick to condemn the remark. One tweeted, “The greatest compliment POTUS can pay a woman is to compare her to a gun! Welcome to America.”

Comments at rallies and interviews

Trump continued his unusual focus on Leavitt during a December rally in Pennsylvania. He described her as dominating on television, saying, “They dominate when she gets up there with that beautiful face and those lips that don’t stop, up, up, up, like a little machine gun, she’s got no fear.” Social media responses were swift, calling the comments “grotesque, juvenile, and horrifyingly predictable.”

During a Newsmax interview, Trump again praised Leavitt, calling her a “star” and listing his favorite traits: “It’s that face. It’s that brain. It’s those lips. The way they move. They move like she’s a machine gun.”

Uncomfortable “grabbing” remarks

Trump’s focus on Leavitt extended beyond her lips. In January, during turbulence aboard Air Force One, he joked about reaching for something to hold onto but “not going to be Karoline” a comment that critics again found inappropriate and tasteless.

Now, with Leavitt preparing to go on maternity leave and expecting her second child, Trump’s public fascination with her appearance will temporarily end. However, these repeated incidents have left a lasting impression, reinforcing concerns about how women in politics are often reduced to their looks rather than their professional contributions.