US4 min(s) read
Published 09:23 13 Aug 2026 GMT
An outrageous theory about the 'real' reason behind Karoline Leavitt's decision to step down from her role, has started to circulate online.
The White House press secretary is officially leaving her post at the end of August, stating that she cannot be the mom she wants to be while fulfilling her duties in the Trump administration.
Leavitt's departure was confirmed by Trump on Truth Social yesterday (August 12), as he described her as 'one of my most trusted aides', reiterating that the decision was about family.
The 80-year-old added that she was 'one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office'.
But some on social media claim to know the true reason behind her decision, and it's far darker than anything that's been said publicly.
CBS News reported this week that members of President Donald Trump's cabinet were on a decoy plane that he secretly exited before boarding Air Force One in Turkey last month.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were among those who remained on board what was thought to be Air Force One and didn't join a flight provided to Trump over security concerns involving Iran.
The President entered the aircraft on July 8, before hiding on a catering truck to be transported to a military plane.
Social media users have caught wind of this move and quickly drawn a link to Leavitt's departure announcement, as one wrote that it was "only days after finding out she'd been left on a decoy plane targeted by Iranian death threats."
Another user said that it wasn't "hard to figure out why," claiming that Trump took political aide and former television presenter Natalie Harp with him instead of Leavitt or any other cabinet members.
The speculation claimed that Karoline "finally woke the hell up," as she realized she could have been left motherless due to "how expendable she (and everyone else) was/is" to the President.
More people took notice of this detail too, as a third wrote: "I'm sure it's just a coincidence that Karoline Leavitt resigned as White House press secretary after being an unwitting decoy on Air Force One."
Political commentator Brian Krassenstein said: "Karoline Leavitt announced her resignation 24 hours after she found out that Trump left her for dead on a plane he thought could be shot out of the sky."
But that's not all, as someone noticed that her X post announcing her departure as Press Secretary was "Made with AI".
"I guess Karoline wasn’t a fan of being left to die on the old AF1 while Trump was scuttled to another plane via catering truck," they added.
"Good riddance to the worst press secretary in U.S. history."
"Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect!" Trump wrote to break the news.
Leavitt posted her own statement on X shortly after Trump's announcement. It was longer and more personal than anything she has shared publicly since taking the job.
"The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary," she stated.
