Karoline Leavitt’s accidental bedroom livestream quickly turned into an unexpected political talking point.
On September 27, the former White House press secretary briefly went live on Instagram while lying in bed with her five-month-old daughter, Viviana, before realizing what had happened and ending the broadcast.
But the mistake became more interesting when viewers noticed that more than 1,000 people had tuned in.
Highlights
- Karoline Leavitt accidentally started an Instagram Live while in bed with her five-month-old daughter.
- The brief livestream reportedly drew 1,157 viewers, while Trump’s newly launched White House streaming channel had only 179 viewers at the time.
- Online users joked about the timing and speculated about a connection to Trump.
That number was soon compared with the much smaller audience watching Donald Trump’s newly launched streaming channel.
Some online users even started wondering whether Leavitt’s timing was more than a simple social media mistake.
One person joked, “Oh she was mad at him.”
Karoline Leavitt accidentally started an Instagram Live from her bedroom
Leavitt was reportedly trying to edit an Instagram Reel when she accidentally started a Live instead while in bed with Viviana.
The stream ended almost immediately after Leavitt realized that her followers could see her. She did not mention Trump or politics during the brief appearance.
Instead, she later explained the mistake on Instagram.
“Just accidentally went live while trying to edit a reel LOL,” Leavitt wrote. “Sorry to those who got excited…but maybe I should go live soon, and I can answer some questions from you guys?! For now, we are going to take our Sunday nap. Byeeee!”
Her explanation did not stop people from discussing the incident.
A screenshot circulated online almost immediately, with one person asking, “Did Karoline Leavitt just accidentally go live on Instagram? This popped up and then quickly ended.”
Another commenter focused on Leavitt’s appearance and wrote, “‘Accidentally’ went live with full make-up, hair, and filter activated. Just another lie.”
The number of viewers on Leavitt’s live quickly became the biggest part of the story
Leavitt’s accidental Live attracted 1,157 viewers before she ended it. That figure was compared with the audience watching Trump’s new White House streaming service at around the same time.
Trump’s live streaming drew just 179 viewers, per Atlanta Black Star.
The comparison gave social media users an easy way to joke that the former press secretary got more attention by accident than the president’s new media project.
Leavitt’s blunder came shortly after the White House launched “TRUMP TV: The Essentials Station” on September 21.
The administration described it as a 24/7 stream featuring presidential moments, announcements, and other administration material.
“TRUMP TV IS STREAMING NOW,” the White House announced. “24/7, updated in real time, with top past moments, announcements, and the latest and greatest from the administration all in one place.”
The launch came during a dispute between the Trump administration and several major news organizations.
The White House had barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from access, prompting several television networks to protest the restrictions. A federal judge later ordered the administration to restore access to the affected outlets.
The livestream came a month after Leavitt stepped away from her position as press secretary
Leavitt left the role in late August and said the decision was connected to her family. She and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, have two children, two-year-old Niko and five-month-old Viviana.
In her resignation, Leavitt said she could not be “the best mom my two young children deserve” while giving the White House job the constant time, energy, and attention it required.
Trump praised her work after she announced her departure. During a White House gathering, he also joked that she had “decided she loved her children more than she loved Donald Trump. I’m very upset about this.”
Leavitt has remained connected to Trump’s political operation. She returned to MAGA Inc., the Trump super PAC where she previously worked as a spokesperson, and has continued to appear in conservative media.
She has also discussed her White House experience publicly and was reportedly considering a book about her time in the administration.
"Bots work like that," wrote one netizen
