‘Evil Ages Like Milk’: Karoline Leavitt Shares ‘Behind-the-Scenes’ Photos After Being Mocked for Her Viral Lip Close-Up
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to intense online mockery of her recent Vanity Fair photoshoot by posting new “behind-the-scenes” images on Instagram Wednesday —only to face further criticism that the photos appeared heavily edited and distance-optimized to obscure her appearance.
The episode shows Leavitt’s ongoing efforts to control her public image amid heightened scrutiny of the Trump administration’s inner circle.
The 28-year-old Leavitt, known for her combative briefing room style, appeared in Vanity Fair’s two-part profile of Chief of Staff Susie Wiles as part of a group portrait session.
Photographer Christopher Anderson, renowned for his intimate, unflinching close-ups, captured Leavitt in stark detail—revealing what many online commenters alleged were visible lip filler injection sites. The image quickly went viral, with social media users labeling it a “jumpscare” and joking “no trigger warning is insane.”
Anderson defended his approach in interviews, telling The Independent that close-up portraiture is a signature style applied across political figures of all stripes: “Very close-up portraiture has been a fixture in a lot of my work over the years… I like the idea of penetrating the theater of politics.”
He rejected accusations of intentional malice: “I know there’s a lot to be made with, ‘Oh, he intentionally is trying to make people look bad’… that’s not the case.”
Did You Know?:Karoline Leavitt Drops Raw Photo of ‘Handsome’ Husband, 60, After She Was Mocked Over Photo Manipulation
Leavitt’s Response: New Photos Met with Fresh Mockery
In what appeared to be a direct counter to the Vanity Fair images, Leavitt shared several shots on Instagram showing her preparing for a live North Lawn interview. Dressed in a leopard-print jacket over a black turtleneck with red nail polish, she adjusted her hair while posing for photographer @anna.money.
“Behind the scenes before a live interview on the North Lawn of the White House, captured by @anna.money 📸,” she captioned the post.
However, the photos were met with widespread criticism online. One commenter remarked that “being evil really does age people fast,” while another accused Leavitt of deliberately posing from a distance to obscure what they alleged were lip injection sites, adding that Vanity Fair’s “disingenuous reporting” appeared to have struck a nerve.
Others mocked the images as heavily edited, with one user saying the photos were “airbrushed to hell and back,” and another quipping that “the distance required for a flattering photo is diabolical.” A separate commenter suggested Leavitt was seeking validation after negative press, writing that she was “going for an ego boost to save face” following the Vanity Fair coverage.
The backlash echoed a phrase that had circulated after her viral close-up photo, with multiple users repeating the jab: “evil ages like milk,” tying it to perceptions of Leavitt as the administration’s aggressive “mouthpiece.”
View this post on Instagram
White House Pushes Back on Photographer’s Intent
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended Leavitt, “It is clear that Vanity Fair intentionally photographed Karoline and the White House staff in bizarre ways, and deliberately edited the photos, to try to demean and embarrass them.”
Rogers added: “Karoline is a beautiful person and truly one of the most incredible people you will meet in politics, and she is doing an extraordinary job serving the American people as the White House Press Secretary.”
The administration’s response continues a pattern of dismissing critical media coverage as biased or malicious, particularly when it targets personal appearance or style.
TOP STORIES
- Karoline Leavitt Caught in Her Web of Lies While Defending Trump – Then Snaps at Reporters
- MAGA Insider Leaks Trump’s Mystery Announcement – It’s a PR Stunt
- ‘It’s Very Difficult’: Karoline Leavitt Reveals She’s Traumatized Working for Trump
Leavitt, appointed at 27 as the youngest press secretary in history, has become a lightning rod for both praise and ridicule. Her briefings—marked by sharp retorts and loyalty to Trump—have earned her a devoted conservative following but also drawn accusations of misinformation from critics.
The Vanity Fair shoot, part of a larger series on the administration’s power players, placed Leavitt alongside figures like Vance, Rubio, Stephen Miller, Dan Scavino, and James Blair.
Leavitt’s new Instagram post, while intended to project confidence and normalcy, instead fueled more speculation about image control.
Discover more from STITCH SNITCHES
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.