Additional Coverage:
- Karoline Leavitt branded a ‘traitor’ after brag about luxury a lot of women can’t afford (irishstar.com)
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, has faced backlash after sharing photos from her maternity leave on Instagram.
Leavitt, 28, took time off in April ahead of the birth of her second child, daughter Viviana. Though she has posted sparingly during her leave, she returned to social media on the evening of June 8 to share several family snapshots.
Accompanying the post, she wrote, “May memories. So grateful for this precious time with my sweet babies.”
One photo showed Leavitt smiling warmly while holding her son Niko against a sunset backdrop. Another captured a tender moment between one-year-old Niko and his baby sister.
The Instagram update came shortly after Leavitt briefly interrupted her maternity leave to promote an event hosted by former President Donald Trump.
Among the images was a photo of Leavitt’s husband, Nicholas Riccio, 60, cradling baby Viviana, as well as a final picture featuring Leavitt holding her daughter’s hand, prominently displaying her large diamond wedding ring.
While some followers praised the post, others criticized Leavitt sharply. One commenter pointed out, “How lucky you are that you have good health care and paid time off.
Many women in this country have neither.” Another labeled her a “traitor,” while a third contrasted her lifestyle with the struggles of young Iranians facing economic and social hardships, urging her to appreciate living in a stable country.
Some critics expressed anger over U.S. foreign policy, accusing Leavitt of hypocrisy by enjoying motherhood while the country is involved in conflicts abroad. One user wrote, “You enjoy raising your children, but in Iran you attack schools and kill Iranian children.
Then you come and talk about human rights.” Others dismissed her posts as empty slogans and boasted about human rights, with one even responding with a baby vomiting gif.
This controversy highlights ongoing challenges in the U.S. regarding maternity leave. Despite being one of the wealthiest nations, the U.S. remains among the few countries that do not mandate statutory paid maternity leave. A recent study by payroll software company Moorepay identified only four countries without such protections: Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Tonga, and the United States.
On average, American mothers take about 10 weeks of maternity leave, but only a small portion is paid. Typically, just 10 days are covered by paid sick leave and 12 days by paid personal time off, with the rest unpaid.
Leavitt’s social media post comes after she temporarily paused her leave to promote Trump’s Great American State Fair. Following the withdrawal of most scheduled musical acts, the event was rebranded as a rally with Trump as the headline attraction.
Leavitt shared an announcement from Freedom 250 detailing the event, which will take place on the National Mall as part of a nationwide celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. The post invited supporters to join the “America Is Back Kick-Off Celebration” with former President Trump.