A major controversy has erupted in US political and media circles after a Vanity Fair photoshoot featuring senior Trump administration officials was published, with supporters of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accusing the magazine of deliberate bias.
Close-Up Images Trigger Allegations of Bias
The firestorm began on Tuesday when Vanity Fair published a revealing profile of Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, which included portraits of several key White House figures. Alongside Wiles, the shoot featured Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Deputy Chiefs of Staff James Blair and Dan Scavino, and Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller.
However, it was an extreme close-up image of 28-year-old Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt that drew the most intense reaction online. Critics and supporters of the administration quickly claimed the photographs were intentionally "unflattering" and represented a negative bias towards Trump's staff compared to coverage of figures from the Biden era.
White House and Supporters Mount Defence
The White House issued a formal statement condemning the magazine's approach. Spokesperson Taylor Rogers told the Daily Mail: "It's 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 praised Leavitt, stating: "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."
On social media, the defence was fervent. Commenters labelled the publication "liberal propaganda" and a "sorry excuse for journalism." Influential conservative voice Benny Johnson called it a "reality distortion machine" and "disgusting."
Many users leapt to Leavitt's personal defence. One wrote: "That is insane, she's gorgeous lol they had to work hard to make it look so unbelievable." Another suggested: "Karoline should take it as a compliment. They're clearly threatened by her."
Mixed Reactions and Underlying Profile Controversy
Not all reactions were supportive. On Vanity Fair's own Instagram page, some users mocked the images, with one asking why Leavitt looked 50 despite being 28. Others speculated about cosmetic procedures, questioning visible marks around her mouth.
This is not the first time Leavitt's appearance has been scrutinised. In September, a plastic surgeon, Dr Jennifer Harrington, analysed images for the Daily Mail, concluding any work was "quite subtle" and that Leavitt looked "amazing." Leavitt herself has previously shared her TV makeup routine on Instagram, detailing her use of products from brands like Fenty Beauty and Too Faced.
The photos accompanied a bombshell profile of Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, which itself generated significant controversy. Wiles, 68, was quoted likening President Trump to her late alcoholic father and sportscaster Pat Summerall, noting he has "an alcoholic's personality." She also commented on Vice President Vance's late conversion to Trump's cause and past as a "conspiracy theorist."
President Trump responded to The New York Post, stating he understood Wiles's comments, relating them to his own admitted "addictive type personality," while emphasising he does not drink. He dismissed the Vanity Fair piece, saying he hadn't read it and criticising the interviewer as "purposely misguided."
Karoline Leavitt addressed the article directly on Tuesday, telling reporters on the White House driveway: "This is, unfortunately, another example of disingenuous reporting... the most egregious part of this article was the bias of omission that was clearly present." The episode highlights the intensely polarised media landscape surrounding the Trump administration.
