‘Funniest Bit of Self-Irony Ever’: Karoline Leavitt Clumsily Spins Trump’s Health Concerns with Laughable Slogan
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is gaslighting Americans again about President Donald Trump’s health and fitness.
In a post on X to her 1.5 million followers, Leavitt shared a story by Matt Lamb of the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) on the President’s “crusade” to “Make America Healthy Again.”
Leavitt posted the story on Tuesday after days of near-constant speculation about the 79-year-old president’s health and as rumors that he had already died blew up on social media.
Trump’s persistent health issues in recent months are no secret. He’s had swollen ankles from a chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis, bruises on his hands, and he largely disappeared last week with no on-camera sightings since early last week.
And when he showed up Tuesday at an Oval Office news conference, he looked tired and seemingly feigned confusion at questions about the internet rumors over his death, even though he responded to those very rumors Sunday on his platform Truth Social, insisting he has “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.”
In the article published on Monday, Lamb argued that Trump should be commended and deserves praise for putting health issues “front and center as part of his broader pledge to ‘Make America Healthy Again.’”
“The Trump administration’s push to bring back fitness isn’t about politics — it’s about saving a generation from decline,” Lamb wrote. “By making America fit again, Trump and his cabinet are challenging the country to build strength, discipline, and health as the foundation for national renewal.”
Part of the MAHA campaign involves reinstating the Presidential Fitness Test in American schools, including timed one-mile runs and sit-up challenges.
At the Department of Defense and Health and Human Services, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., respectively, detailed the “Pete and Bibby Challenge.” The pair is asking Americans to see if they can do 50 pull-ups and 100 push-ups in less than 10 minutes.
“You need to start with the POTUS,” an X user said in response to Leavitt’s post.“Lmao like Trump has any business telling people to get fit,” another X user chimed in.
“How about he starts with his own FAT ASS!” observed this X poster.“Trump’s not even fit to be President,” Brian Christopher said on X.
Online rumors spread like wildfire over the Labor Day holiday that Trump had died after he wasn’t seen in public for several days.
His appearance on Tuesday was less than reassuring when he appeared confused by a reporter’s question about what he thought of the rumor that he was dead.
Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked Trump, “How did you find out over the weekend that you were dead?”
“You see that?” Doocy asked in response to Trump’s clear confusion.
“No,” Trump answered wanly as he seemed confused about the question, even though he had posted about the rumors just a day earlier.
“People didn’t see you for a couple days, 1.3 million user engagements as of Saturday morning about your demise,” Doocy continued.
“Really? I didn’t see that,” Trump replied.
Trump complained that he had done numerous press conferences last week, then fell back on his old standby of blaming former President Joe Biden.
“I didn’t do any for two days and they said, ‘There must be something wrong with him.’ Biden wouldn’t do them for months. You wouldn’t see him and nobody ever said there was anything wrong with him and we know he wasn’t in the greatest of shape,” Trump grumbled.
A White House press release in April from the president’s physician Cpt. Sean P. Barbabella concluded, “President Trump remains in excellent health … [he] exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.”