Karoline Leavitt shows off MAGA Barbie makeover on return to work 10 weeks after giving birth
Karoline Leavitt shows off MAGA Barbie makeover on return to work 10 weeks after giving birth
Eleanor Tolbert Thu, July 16, 2026 at 6:03 PM UTC
0
Karoline Leavitt is back in the White House briefing room after her maternity leave -Credit:Aaron Schwartz/UPI/Shutterstock
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has returned to her post Thursday after nearly three months on maternity leave.
The new mom gave birth to her second baby, Viviana, on May 1. She took to the podium in the press briefing room to speak on behalf of President Donald Trump while wearing a hot pink blazer and her signature cross necklace.
Leavitt spoke about a range of topics, from the state of the nation's economy, including the recent Consumer Price Index report showing inflation cooled more than expected in June, to Trump Accounts. She said she signed both of her children up for the accounts, which will include a free $1,000 to millions of babies.
• Netflix's Shipwrecked leaves out 32 victims' causes of death — here's how they died
• Tom Hanks' son Chet spotted with girlfriend after Tennessee trailer park move
One reporter asked Leavitt if she purposely wore pink in honor of her new baby girl. The press secretary replied, "I didn’t think that, but it is now."
Leavitt is known for wearing bright colors in the briefing room, as well as her cross necklace. The necklace has become the butt of jokes from late night hosts, including Jon Stewart. He once said on his show, "By the way, I think that the more she [Karoline] lies, the bigger her cross gets. Is that possible? It’s like some sort of weird Pinocchio cross."
The 28-year-old and her husband Nicholas Riccio, 60, welcomed their new daughter in May. The couple already have a two-year-old boy, Niko.
Advertisement
Leavitt's new baby's name is Viviana, and they will call her Vivi for short. She wrote on Instagram after her birth, “On May 1st, Viviana aka “Vivi” joined our family, and our hearts instantly exploded with love.
She gave birth to her baby girl in May -Credit:AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
“She is perfect and healthy, and her big brother is joyfully adjusting to life with his new baby sister. We are enjoying every moment in our blissful newborn bubble.
“Thank you to everyone who reached out with prayers during my pregnancy - I truly felt them throughout the entire experience. God is Good.”
She's stayed mostly away from the White House during her maternity leave, though she's come back for a few occasions. She was back at the White House for the UFC Freedom 250 fight.
She was also back at the podium after the shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner, which was reminiscent of her first maternity leave. That time, she came back to work just four days after giving birth due to the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Karoline Leavitt's newborn girl is named Viviana -Credit:Instagram
Leavitt also left Vivi for the first time last month to travel with Trump on his new Air Force One.
“This will be the longest I have been away from her by far,” Leavitt said at the time.
Trump was scheduled to travel to North Dakota ahead of the Fourth of July weekend for festivities tied to the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.
She has shared various snaps on Instagram during her time on leave, including a trip to the beach with her children and spending her first Mother's Day as a mom of two.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
