Karoline Leavitt has been inundated with praise online as she canceled her maternity leave to return to work on Monday following the shooting at White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
The President’s press secretary, who is 39 weeks pregnant with her second baby with husband Nicholas Riccio, announced on Friday that she was stepping away from her duties to prepare for the birth.
But just three days later, the 28-year-old revealed that she was back at work, saying she would be holding a briefing after gunfire erupted at the event on Saturday evening in Washington, DC.
Donald Trump attended the dinner in person for the first time while in office.
The suspected shooter, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, had breached the security checkpoint at the event before he was swiftly taken down by law enforcement.
Fans were quick to commend Leavitt for returning to work despite expecting a baby any day now.
‘I will hold a Press Briefing at 1pm ET today,’ Leavitt posted on X on Monday.
Political adviser Katie Miller reposted her message, adding, ‘She’s back from maternity leave after a whole weekend! 39 weeks pregnant.’
Karoline Leavitt has been inundated with praise online as she canceled her maternity leave to return to work on Monday following the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting
Gunfire erupted at the event on Saturday evening. The suspected shooter was identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, who was taken down by the Secret Service
‘You’re both warriors,’ replied one fan. Another chimed in: ‘Somehow this doesn’t surprise me. She seems like she’s the type who would be having press briefings while in labor if she could.’
‘NH girls are built different. Love her,’ someone else added, referring to the fact that Leavitt hails from New Hampshire.
‘I cannot believe that she’s still working at 39 weeks. I swear she will be at the podium until her water breaks,’ read a fourth post.
A fifth said: ‘She’s a BOSS. While I love her fight, I hope she will take the time she needs for that precious baby.’
‘One tough beautiful American lady warrior indeed. Outstanding woman,’ gushed a different user.
‘Superwoman,’ someone else said of Leavitt.
On Friday, Leavitt told reporters during a press briefing: ‘This will likely be my last gaggle for some time. As you can see.
‘I’m about ready to have a baby any minute, so I will see you guys very soon. I know you’ll be in very good hands with my team here at the White House.
The White House Press Secretary, 28, is expecting her second baby with husband Nicholas Riccio
She announced on Friday that she was stepping away from her duties to prepare for the birth. But on Monday, she said she would be holding a press briefing about the shooting
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Leavitt and her husband announced that they were expecting their second child, a girl, in December.
They have a son, Nicholas Robert ‘Niko’ Riccio, who was born in July 2024.
No one person has been tasked with taking over for Leavitt while she is on maternity leave. Instead, a rotating team of administration officials will handle press briefings.
A Secret Service agent was shot during the incident on Saturday, but is expected to recover.
Trump explained afterwards that the agent ‘was shot from a very close distance with a very powerful gun’ but that his bulletproof vest ‘did the job.’
