Copyright Atlanta Black Star
Social media has exploded in anger after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt used a vulgar nickname in a post about Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a former vice presidential candidate. Walz was reacting to comments Leavitt made during a press briefing last week when a reporter asked, “In addition to the ballroom and the Rose Garden patio, is the President looking at any other renovations or significant kind of projects here at the White House?” Leavitt responded that President Donald Trump’s “main priority” is the “Big Beautiful Ballroom.” “Not to my knowledge, no, but he’s a builder at heart, clearly, and so his heart and his mind is always churning about how to improve things here on the White House grounds. But at this moment in time, of course, the ballroom is really the President’s main priority,” a tone-deaf Leavitt responded. That’s when Walz lashed out at the Trump administration over the ongoing government shutdown and its lack of urgency in ending the stalemate between Democrats and Republicans. ‘What Does That Even Mean?’: Karoline Leavitt Pressed About Trump’s Ballroom Plan — Invents a Word, Fumbles for an Answer, Then Abruptly Changes Course Federal workers are going without pay, and urgent federal programs such as food benefits for low-income Americans are being cut off due to the closure. “They are choosing not to fund these programs. They are choosing to prioritize, and when the White House press secretary said the top priority is the ballroom, we could not disagree more,” Walz vehemently proclaimed. That’s when Leavitt responded in the most childish manner, posting a clip of Walz with the caption, “Stop lying, Tampon Tim.” Social media wasn’t standing for it and erupted in outrage. “Okay, but you literally did say that,” this X user pointed out. “Karoline: you hold a taxpayer-funded position representing the White House. Using your platform to sling insults isn’t strength—it’s immaturity. History (and your own child) will remember how you used your voice,” X user Amber Speaks Up posted. Social media user Stephen Lee Carr had this to say, “Everything Tim is saying is true, folks. And keep in mind that Karoline’s behavior is actually rewarded inside the current WH regime. Being crass and cruelty itself is a loyalty signal. The more shamelessly you violate norms of decency, the higher your perceived rank in the dominance hierarchy.” “Instead of fixing crumbling bridges and feeding hungry kids, Trump’s team prioritizes gold-plated ballrooms, Tim called it right, Karoline,” X user Richard Angwin posted. During a press conference last week, Walz said he planned to use $4 million in emergency funding to help keep food banks stocked when SNAP benefits end this weekend. He also called out Trump, accusing him and Republicans of creating an ongoing government crisis. “This is not a both-sidesism. This is owned by the Republicans. It is owned by their ability to want to have anything their way. They’ve got a president that is pulling money back that was appropriated by the legislature,” he emphasized. Republicans passed a stopgap funding measure in the House, but the Senate needs Democratic support to pass a similar measure unless the Republicans remove the filibuster rule. So the government shut down on Oct. 1. Democrats have insisted reversing cuts to Medicaid and extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies as part of the funding bill, otherwise millions of Americans are going to see a massive jump in their health insurance premiums on Jan. 1 after Trump’s “one Big Beautiful Bill” that was rammed through Congress last summer with no Democratic support did not rescind the subsidy expiration provision that has been looming since 2021. Republicans have refused to negotiate and are getting blamed for the shutdown, as they control the presidency and Congress.
