A recent, tightly-framed photograph of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has become a viral sensation, with intense online debate focusing on whether the 28-year-old has undergone cosmetic enhancements since assuming her role as a key spokesperson for President Donald Trump.
Vanity Fair Profile Fuels Speculation and Controversy
The image, captured by photographer Christopher Anderson for a comprehensive Vanity Fair feature on Trump's inner circle, shows an extreme closeup of Leavitt's face. The profile itself labelled her as the President's "mouthpiece." Online commentators quickly zeroed in on what they perceived as marks along the border of her lips, suggesting they were evidence of lip filler injections.
Social media reactions were swift and pointed. One user remarked on the "great detail of the gender affirming lip filler," while another joked that the injection marks "really sing in this one." A further comment suggested the photographer deserved a Pulitzer Prize "for making sure we see every last bloody lip injection entry point," adding that Trump himself frequently mentions her lips. Leavitt has not publicly addressed these cosmetic surgery rumours.
Chief of Staff Susie Wiles's Candid Comments Cause Stir
The Vanity Fair article, published on December 17, 2025, included interviews and photos with several key figures beyond Leavitt, such as Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and senior advisors Stephen Miller and Dan Scavino. However, the most explosive revelations came from Trump's Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, who participated in eleven interviews for the piece.
Wiles made a series of blunt assessments that have rattled Trump's supporters. She described President Trump as having an "alcoholic's personality"—a comment Trump later contextualized by stating he doesn't drink but has often said he would have a "very good chance" of being an alcoholic due to his "very possessive personality." Wiles also referred to Vice President Vance as having been a "conspiracy theorist for a decade" and criticized Elon Musk for sharing a controversial post while allegedly "microdosing."
White House Backlash and Author's Defence
Following the article's publication, Wiles took to social media platform X to denounce it as a "disingenuously framed hit piece." In a post shared by Leavitt, Wiles claimed that significant context was omitted to paint a "chaotic and negative narrative" about the President and his team.
Writer Chris Whipple, who conducted the interviews, forcefully defended his work. He told CNN that "everything in the article was on the record" and that he recorded every conversation. This defence did little to quell criticism from some Trump allies, who questioned why Wiles agreed to so many interviews if she expected a negative portrayal. One commenter pointedly asked, "Wtf did she expect?"
Despite the internal friction, President Trump publicly stood by his Chief of Staff. In comments to the New York Post, he called Wiles "fantastic" and asserted she has "done a fantastic job." He dismissed the Vanity Fair article, stating, "I think from what I hear, the facts were wrong, and it was a very misguided interviewer, purposely misguided." He also confirmed he does not read the magazine.
The episode highlights the intense scrutiny faced by high-profile political figures, where their appearance becomes fodder for public debate, and internal dynamics are laid bare by candid on-the-record remarks, leading to public relations challenges for the administration.
