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Trump mocked over bizarre ‘grab’ joke about Karoline Leavitt, ‘What a creep’

President Donald Trump made a perplexing comment about Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during turbulent Air Force One flight.

Published on: Jan 12, 2026, 21:36:43 IST
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President Donald Trump has issued a bizarre statement regarding his Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, sparking online criticism.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt watches as President Donald Trump speaks to reporters while in flight on Air Force One to Joint Base Andrews, Md., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) (AP)
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt watches as President Donald Trump speaks to reporters while in flight on Air Force One to Joint Base Andrews, Md., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) (AP)

On Sunday, Air Force One encountered turbulence while transporting Trump, 79, back to Washington, D.C., following his weekly getaway at the Mar-a-Lago resort.

As the Republican leader swayed from side to side, disregarding reporters' inquiries about the upcoming steps in his strategy for Venezuela, he looked at Leavitt, 28, before returning his attention to the group of journalists.

“I’m looking for something to grab here. Because it’s going to get rough. I think you did this to me, you put me in a position where there’s absolutely nothing to grab,” he stated, turning his face towards Leavitt. “So I’m looking for something to grab. And it’s not going to be Karoline.”

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Netizens react to Trump's remark

The reporters disregarded the peculiar remark, urging the president to respond to inquiries regarding international issues.

At the outset of the gathering, Trump cautioned the gathered press that turbulence was imminent. “It’s going to be very rough in about 10 minutes, so we’ll have to go a little bit quickly. They just said, very, very rough,” Trump alerted.

Meanwhile, Trump's remark went viral on X, with one user slamming the President, saying: “What A Creep!💀😳.”

“Gross,” another commented, while the third person said, “Karoline got scared when she heard her name.”

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When Trump joked about Leavitt's lips

Leavitt frequently becomes a subject of Trump’s loud humor. After leaving Israel following the hostage release as part of the Middle East ceasefire agreement in October last year, Trump shifted his focus from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to making remarks about Leavitt’s facial features.

At that time, Trump asked reporter, “How’s Karoline doing?", adding that “Should Karoline be replaced?”

When a reporter replied, “That’s up to you, sir,” the US President swiftly added, “It’ll never happen. That face... and those lips, they move like a machine gun, right?”

  • Shweta Kukreti
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shweta Kukreti

    Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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