If you could conjure up Donald Trump’s perfect Gen Z representative, it would be his current press secretary, Karoline Leavitt. The 27-year-old MAGA-enthusiast has been a firm Trump supporter for practically all of her adult life and has now become the mouthpiece for one of the most destructive and inhumane presidential administrations the US has ever seen.

Leavitt’s debut was a particularly notable one, with dozens of headlines confirming that her appointment has officially marked a return to Trump-era media relations. For example, TikTokers, influencers, and podcasters were encouraged to attend the Gen Zer’s first ever briefing. I mean, the idea of figures like Logan and Jake Paul, Joe Rogan, and half a dozen other finance bros being invited to share their two cents on the state of the American political landscape makes me feel quite sick. The worst part is, it’s not a nightmare we can wake up from, it’s the reality we live in.

One of the most shocking moments from Leavitt’s debut was when she informed reporters that the newly-established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the White House Office for Management and Budget (OMB) had found that there was “about to be $50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza.”

“That is a preposterous waste of taxpayer money. So that’s what this pause is focused on, being good stewards of tax dollars,” Leavitt stated. Given the princess of MAGA’s evident support for Trump’s brutal perspective on immigration, it’s not particularly surprising that she would be so flippant when touching on the insane humanitarian crisis in Palestine right now.

In her first press briefing, Karoline Leavitt says:

Donald Trump is “proving America is once again respected on the world stage.”

Laughable. pic.twitter.com/g82q9wfZA9

— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) January 28, 2025

So, who is Trump’s new press secretary and how has she managed to cause this much drama after her first ever White House briefing?

Karoline Leavitt is the youngest press secretary in White House history. Originally from New Hampshire, the 27-year-old has embedded strong Christian nationalism into her political journey, focusing on conservative values, strong law enforcement, and gun rights during her 2022 run for the US House of Representatives.

Despite not winning a seat, Leavitt established herself as an outspoken and fearless spokesperson for right-wing extremists—a public persona that was evidently extremely attractive to Trump. The current president made a lot of effort during his 2024 campaign trail to appeal to young voters, and with Leavitt at the helm, they managed to rally and mobilise conservative Gen Zers, ultimately taking the election.

 

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On Tuesday 28 January 2025, Leavitt ran her first White House debriefing as press secretary for Trump’s administration. Here were some of the highlights: Leavitt focused her statement on re-emphasising Trump’s commitment to both a new era of aggressive immigration enforcement and slashing federal funding across the board.

Moreover, as previously mentioned, Leavitt stated that $50 million taxpayer dollars have allegedly been sent to fund condoms in Gaza. However, some sources have disputed this. According to news agency Anadolu Agency, a review of the latest publicly available data from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on condom shipments, covering 2023, reveals no such shipments to Gaza.

In fact, the only shipment to the Middle East that year was a $45,680 delivery to Jordan, which was noted as the first condom shipment to the region since 2019.

Given Trump’s past history with misinformation, it wouldn’t be surprising if the new administration turns to the use of fake news to get its way. Either way, Leavitt has proven herself to be a valuable asset to the president’s hardline campaign, so I can imagine her role and influence will only continue to grow.