It started with a smile and ended with a viral moment.
Karoline Leavitt, the 27-year-old White House press secretary, was hit with an unexpected question during Thursdayโs briefing.
Fox Newsโ Peter Doocy brought up Donald Trumpโs latest swipe at Taylor Swift, and the room immediately lit up.
โWhat does President Trump mean when he says that Taylor Swift is no longer hot?โ Doocy asked, prompting Leavitt to laugh before he even finished.
Leavitt Keeps Her Cool Amid Celebrity Buzz
Leavitt laughed, as did much of the press room, but gave a measured and clear response.
โLook, he is speaking about Taylor Swift’s political views and how perhaps it has impacted the support of the American public for her work, and I will leave it at that.โ
Her response was brief, professional, and confident, a moment that quickly circulated online for its mix of humor and composure.
Trumpโs Bold Comment Sparks Online Reaction
The viral exchange came after President Trump posted on May 16:
โHas anyone noticed that, since I said โI HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,โ sheโs no longer โHOTโ?โ
The former president is known for his unfiltered style.
He rarely holds back, especially when celebrities get political.
His latest comment is nothing new.
Trump has taken aim at Swift before over her Democratic endorsements and criticism of Republican figures.
Taylor Swiftโs Political Involvement Continues to Raise Eyebrows
Swiftโs first major political endorsement came in 2020 and was featured in her Netflix documentary Miss Americana.
She was vocal about her opposition to certain conservative policies and more recently supported Kamala Harris during the 2024 election via a post to her 284 million Instagram followers.
She also took issue with the alleged use of AI-generated images falsely linking her to Trumpโs campaign, a concern she addressed on social media.
Trump vs. Swift: A Clash of Cultural Titans
Trump, who has long had strong views on celebrity endorsements in politics, has addressed Swiftโs political shift with characteristic directness.
In an interview, he said he actually preferred Brittany Mahomes, who is married to NFL star Patrick Mahomes and is known to be close with Swift.
After attending the Super Bowl, Trump added:
โThe only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!โ
At the Eaglesโ White House visit on April 28, Trump delivered another quip:
โI watched in person. I was there along with Taylor Swift. How did that work out?โ
While Swift continues to make headlines for her political involvement, Trump remains firm in his views, and Karoline Leavittโs composed response shows sheโs more than capable of navigating even the most unexpected press room moments.
As politics and pop culture collide, the Trump-Swift dynamic is grabbing attention, and this time, the White House press briefing didnโt miss a beat.