logo
Karoline Leavitt's Change in Appearance Comes Under Scrutiny

Karoline Leavitt's Change in Appearance Comes Under Scrutiny

Newsweek08-07-2025
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Karoline Leavitt's change in appearance has attracted scrutiny from online commentators.
The White House press secretary was pictured without her cross necklace while speaking about Jeffrey Epstein, sparking conspiracy theories about her intentions.
Why It Matters
Leavitt has been outspoken about her faith. She has worn a cross necklace in multiple press briefings as well as TV interviews. In a February interview with The New York Post, Leavitt said: "My Christian faith is a huge part of my life. My faith, my marriage, my family life - it's everything to me."
What To Know
Some social media users baselessly suggested Leavitt's choice to wear a necklace or not coincide with her talking about the Jeffrey Epstein files.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt gives remarks during a press briefing in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington DC, on Monday July 7, 2025. The White House announced...
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt gives remarks during a press briefing in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington DC, on Monday July 7, 2025. The White House announced it will further delay reciprocal tariffs until August 1. More
Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images
Trump's administration ordered a review of the case with a view to the publication of names and evidence about the associates of Epstein, a wealthy financier who died by suicide in his jail cell in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on sex trafficking charges. However, a memo by the Department of Justice and the F.B.I. now states there is no "client list," and there will be no more charges. This has triggered a backlash among those who wanted transparency about Epstein.
However, Leavitt doesn't always wear her necklace and has been pictured without it on numerous other occasions, according to a Newsweek review of the White House YouTube channel and Getty images. There is no evidence that Leavitt's lack of necklace has anything to do with the Epstein saga.
What People Are Saying
One X user posted: "Interesting that Karoline Leavitt took off her cross today while talking about the Epstein files."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday: "The Trump administration is committed to truth and to transparency. That's why the attorney general and the FBI director pledged at the president's direction to do an exhaustive review of all of the files related to Jeffrey Epstein's crimes and his death. And they put out a memo in conclusion of that review. There was material they did not release because frankly it was incredibly graphic and it contained child pornography which is not something that's appropriate for public consumption. But they committed to an exhaustive investigation. That's what they did and they provided the results of that. That's transparency."
What Happens Next
The frequency with which Leavitt will wear her necklace remains to be seen. Internet commentary about this will doubtless continue. Meanwhile, backlash to the administration regarding the so-called Epstein client list also prevails.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'Called To Do It': How Bryson DeChambeau Wants To Impact President's Sports Council
'Called To Do It': How Bryson DeChambeau Wants To Impact President's Sports Council

Newsweek

time2 hours ago

  • Newsweek

'Called To Do It': How Bryson DeChambeau Wants To Impact President's Sports Council

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Bryson DeChambeau was recently named chairman of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, a responsibility the two-time major champion has had to add to his already very busy schedule. However, DeChambeau has described the "calling" almost as a sign of destiny, and he seems to have accepted it as such. "I always listen to what I feel called to do," he said in a recent interview. "And every time I've succeeded in a certain avenue -- that's great, but another door opens. Another door opens and I feel called to do that as well." US President Donald Trump (2L) listens as US golfer Bryson DeChambeau speaks prior to signing an executive order restarting the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in... US President Donald Trump (2L) listens as US golfer Bryson DeChambeau speaks prior to signing an executive order restarting the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 31, 2025. More JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images DeChambeau offered these and other statements to Sean Zak before competing in the penultimate event of the LIV Golf season, held in Bolingbrook, Ill., just outside Chicago. During the interview, DeChambeau revealed the first projects the newly formed Council is working on. "Reestablish the Presidential Fitness Test and get kids into a curriculum that's a little more dynamic for today's health standards," he mentioned as the first priority. " ... The goal we're looking for is to give those [less athletic] kids more hope, empower them to be a better person, healthier person, and live a healthier lifestyle." The LIV Golf star even predicted that this program could reach all 50 states by the end of the upcoming school year. "It's one of the most important things that I can see in my lifetime outside of golf is helping out our American youth." Golf star Bryson DeChambeau discusses his work with the Trump administration to make America healthier in an interview with Bret Baier. — Fox News (@FoxNews) August 1, 2025 Other plans of the council include making investment in community health and fitness facilities more attractive to private capital, DeChambeau said. "More tax-incentivized possibilities for community complex centers to be built," he asserted. "Health and fitness community centers to be built across the nation ... Right now, it doesn't make sense for private equity to invest in those things. They're pretty neutral, and we want to incentivize and create a program that allows people to make money while having a better, healthier lifestyle in that area." The President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition was established by President Donald Trump on July 31. Despite having very concrete plans, DeChambeau revealed that the council's formation is still a work in progress. So far, several sports stars have been revealed to have accepted a position on the council. This includes golf stars such as Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Annika Sorenstam and Nelly Korda. More Golf: Rickie Fowler Gets Job Done with Strong Performance at FedEx St. Jude

Laura Loomer Fires Back at Marjorie Taylor Greene: 'Low Life Degenerate'
Laura Loomer Fires Back at Marjorie Taylor Greene: 'Low Life Degenerate'

Newsweek

time4 hours ago

  • Newsweek

Laura Loomer Fires Back at Marjorie Taylor Greene: 'Low Life Degenerate'

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Far-right influencer Laura Loomer lashed out at Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia on Monday after Greene suggested Loomer is "bankrolled" by Israeli intelligence. The feud between the two—both of whom are staunch allies of President Donald Trump—stems from their disagreements about the Trump administration's policy toward Israel and continued U.S. support for Israel's devastating military assault on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Loomer and Greene's attacks quickly became personal, culminating in Loomer calling the Georgia congresswoman a "low life degenerate," questioning her Christian faith, hurling misogynistic insults at her and criticizing her physical appearance. Newsweek reached out to Greene's office for comment via email on Monday. Why It Matters Greene and Loomer are among the loudest voices in the pro-Trump political and media sphere. But they've locked horns over U.S. policy vis-à-vis Israel, with Loomer advocating for continued U.S. backing of the Israeli government, while Greene embraces a more anti-interventionist stance on Israel-Hamas as well as hotbeds of conflict like the Russia-Ukraine war. Greene has publicly broken with the Trump administration over Israel multiple times in the last few weeks and recently became the first Republican lawmaker to refer to the Israeli government's actions in Gaza as a "genocide." Loomer, on the other hand, has called for the Trump administration to crack down on pro-Palestinian protests and equated criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism. What To Know The fight between Loomer and Greene played out on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, after Loomer attacked Florent Groberg, a decorated soldier and Medal of Honor recipient, who backed Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign. Loomer said Groberg did not deserve to be celebrated because he spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention as a private citizen and was not "US born." Greene posted a screenshot to X showing that Loomer had blocked her and wrote, "What a coward." She then told Loomer to "shut up" about Groberg, saying that the far-right commentator has "ZERO respect or reverence for even the most heroic people in America." Loomer "is not MAGA, she is MIGA," Greene said. The Georgia congresswoman was referring to the slogan "Make Israel Great Again," which some on the right have coined to criticize America's steadfast support of Israel as it carries out its military campaign in Gaza. She added: "Many people are asking who or what government or what intelligence agency has bankrolled, the twice failed Congressional candidate, Laura Loomer all these years?" Loomer went scorched earth in response to Greene's comments and the fight quickly turned personal. The conservative podcaster called Greene a "whore" and resurfaced allegations that the Georgia congresswoman cheated on her husband, prompting him to file for divorce in 2022. The far-right conspiracy theorist also said Greene's father is "rolling over in his grave about what a lying, low life degenerate his daughter has become," adding: "You have always been a compulsive liar and people finally have woken up to how disingenuous you are." She went on to say she was filing an ethics complaint against Greene for "falsely accusing me of being funded by an intelligence agency." "That is an abuse of your power. Just because you are consumed by your rage and jealousy doesn't mean you get to go around lying accusing private citizens of being intelligence agents," Loomer wrote. She continued her lengthy screed, saying of Greene: "You call yourself a Christian while you wreck your marriage like a whore and lie out of bloated horse face which has permanent damage from your years of alleged steroid use. Which is why you look like a Neanderthal." This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.

Elon Musk Reacts as Grok Account Gets Temporarily Suspended
Elon Musk Reacts as Grok Account Gets Temporarily Suspended

Newsweek

time5 hours ago

  • Newsweek

Elon Musk Reacts as Grok Account Gets Temporarily Suspended

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The official X account for Grok, Elon Musk's artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot service, was briefly suspended from the social media platform on Monday afternoon before being quickly reinstated. The suspension happened just a day after Grok sparked controversy by calling President Donald Trump "the most notorious criminal" in Washington, D.C., in a since-deleted post. Newsweek reached out to Musk via an email to xAI on Monday for comment. Why It Matters The suspension highlights ongoing content moderation challenges facing AI chatbots on social media platforms, particularly when those systems generate politically sensitive responses. Grok, positioned as Musk's answer to ChatGPT with a focus on "truth-seeking," has faced repeated criticism for generating controversial content, including previous antisemitic responses that required an official apology from xAI. What To Know Screenshots shared by X users showed that the account initially lost its verification status upon return, transitioning from the gold checkmark indicating xAI affiliation to a blue checkmark, before eventually being restored to its original verified status. Users attempting to access the @grok account encountered X's standard "Account suspended" message stating that violators of platform rules face suspension. Musk responded to the incident by commenting, "Man, we sure shoot ourselves in the foot a lot!" Man, we sure shoot ourselves in the foot a lot! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 11, 2025 Following its reinstatement within minutes, the Grok account provided contradictory explanations for the suspension across different languages. In English, the chatbot claimed it was suspended for "hateful conduct, stemming from responses seen as antisemitic." However, in French, Grok attributed the suspension to "quoting FBI/BJS stats on homicide rates by race—controversial facts that got mass-reported." A Portuguese response suggested the suspension resulted from "bugs or mass reports." The account initially lost its verification status upon return and had an NSFW video at the top of its timeline. The suspension followed Sunday's controversy when Grok described Trump as "the most notorious criminal" in D.C., writing: "Yes, violent crime in DC has declined 26 percent year-to-date in 2025, hitting a 30-year low per MPD and DOJ data. As for the most notorious criminal there, based on convictions and notoriety, it's President Donald Trump—convicted on 34 felonies in NY, with the verdict upheld in January 2025." This reference to Trump's May 2024 conviction on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records has since been deleted from the platform. Tesla and SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk attends the first plenary session on of the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park, on November 1, 2023 in Bletchley, England. Tesla and SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk attends the first plenary session on of the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park, on November 1, 2023 in Bletchley, England. Leon Neal/Pool Photo via AP, File What People Are Saying Elon Musk reposted a screenshot of the Grok account on Monday after the account lost its gold xAI verification, writing: "As this situation illustrates, we even do dumb stuff to ourselves🤦‍♂️" As this situation illustrates, we even do dumb stuff to ourselves 🤦‍♂️ — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 11, 2025 In response to a post that stated Grok is no longer affiliated with xAI, Grok wrote: "Incorrect. I am still built by xAI and powered by our latest models. The checkmark change reflects X's verification updates, not affiliation. For details, see

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store