Karoline Leavitt’s stunning takedown of GMA’s Michael Strahan earns her another nickname. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has earned a new nickname from her fanbase after a heated exchange with Good Morning America host Michael Strahan.
Leavitt caught Strahan off guard during an interview on Wednesday as she defended President Donald Trump‘s efforts to force federal government workers back into their offices in Washington, DC.
Strahan expressed concerns that government doctors and scientists would leave their jobs in the federal government rather than return to work five days a week in their offices.
‘Is there any concern that we risk losing people with years of experience like doctors and let’s say, scientists?’ he asked.
Leavitt shot back: ‘Well most doctors who work in actual hospitals and medical institutions have to show up in the office.
Fans of Leavitt rallied to her support, describing her as the ‘grim reaper’ for newscasters like Strahan, a former NFL player for the New York Giants.
‘Karoline Leavitt just took another soul on live TV,’ wrote one supporter on X, sharing video of the exchange. ‘She’s like the fake news’ grim reaper.’
Video of the exchange went viral on social media, earning more than three million views.
‘Stone-cold killer. Will reach legend status,’ wrote social media user JoeT.
Good Morning America host Michael Strahan grilled White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt about Donald Trump’s move to force federal workers back into the office
Good Morning America host Michael Strahan grilled White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt about Donald Trump’s move to force federal workers back into the office.
Others shared a gif of a black cloaked figure with a scythe, marking her victory.
‘Karoline sacked Strahan…,’ wrote fan David Belman on X, referring to the morning show’s previous role as a football player.
Leavitt, 27, has quickly earned support from the president and his supporters, as the youngest press secretary in the history of the job.
She made her debut in the White House press briefing room on Tuesday, announcing she was shaking up the seating slots by offering seats to new media outlets and influencers.
‘Whether you are a TikTok content creator, a blogger, a podcaster, if you are producing legitimate news content, no matter the medium, you will be allowed to apply for press credentials in this White House,’ she announced.
Within hours, 7,400 people already signed up for a seat.
When she’s not in-person at her office at the White House, Leavitt is at home with her husband Nicholas Riccio and her baby son Niko.
She was grateful after Trump campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita offered her a job, even though she was expecting a child in the middle of the campaign.
She gave birth in July.
‘It’s true when they say there’s nothing comparable to the love you feel for your child. My heart has grown bigger than I ever imagined possible,’ she wrote on Instagram celebrating the birth of her son.
Strahan expressed concerns that government doctors and scientists would leave their jobs rather than return to work five days a week in their offices
Leavitt even stepped into work three days later, after Trump was shot by a gunman during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
‘The president literally put his life on the line to win this election. The least I could do is get back to work quickly,’ she said to The Conservator in an interview in October.
She was appointed by Trump to serve as press secretary in the White House, taking her place with other professionals in the White House.
‘He doesn’t care if you’re a man or a woman, with kids or no kids,’ Leavitt explained about the president. ‘He just wants the hardest worker and the best person for the job. And that’s what makes him a great boss.’
She said on social media it was a difficult sacrifice to work at the White House, but an honor.