Jimmy Fallon bursts out laughing as audience member cheers Karoline Leavitt's exit
Jimmy Fallon bursts out laughing as audience member cheers Karoline Leavitt's exit
Ayeesha Walsh Thu, August 13, 2026 at 2:27 PM UTC
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Jimmy Fallon laughed at his audience members -Credit:The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon burst into laughter during his latest Tonight Show monologue after a member of the studio audience loudly celebrated the news of Karoline Leavitt's resignation.
Speaking on the show on Wednesday, August 12, he started by saying, “Some more big news today, Trump announced that Karoline Leavitt, who accidentally humiliated Donald Trump as critics asked about his 'diaper' is resigning as White House press secretary.” Before he could deliver the next part of his joke, a member of the audience could be heard loudly cheering in the background, prompting others to join in.
Fallon appeared to find the unexpected reaction hilarious, breaking into laughter for several seconds before eventually composing himself and steering the monologue back on course. He continued, “That story again, Karoline Leavitt was definitely one of the staffers left on Air Force One. ‘Oh, really, you didn’t take me?!’” referencing reports that Donald Trump was secretly moved onto a second plane while leaving the NATO summit in Turkey amid an Iran missile threat, reportedly leaving members of the press and some of his own staff behind as decoys. It comes after an "unflattering" photo of Karoline Leavitt was suddenly removed from the internet.
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Fallon then poked fun at the cyclosporiasis outbreak as he added, “Apparently, she’s moving on to an easier job, working as the press secretary for Taylor Farms Lettuce.” The reaction comes after President Donald Trump confirmed her resignation via his Truth Social platform.
Leavitt had given birth to her second child, a daughter named Viviana, on May 1. Trump disclosed she will depart at the end of the month to "spend more time with her beautiful young children and family." Leavitt is also the mother of a son named Nicholas and is married to her husband, Nicholas Riccio.
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Kimmel couldn't contain his laughter -Credit:The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Leavitt also confirmed her departure from the role, where she served as the youngest White House press officer ever, with her own social media post. She wrote, "Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime.
“I am incredibly grateful to President Trump for granting me so many extraordinary opportunities, such as working in the West Wing and spending countless hours in the Oval Office, flying around the world and meeting foreign leaders, and traveling across our beautiful country and meeting Americans from all walks of life.
“Most of all, I am thankful to the President for entrusting me with the distinct privilege of speaking on his behalf at the White House podium. I have spoken with great pride about the many historic accomplishments of this Administration, and I have relished holding the liberal media accountable and ensuring the American people hear the truth about President Trump’s successes."
She continued, "Being a mother and welcoming a new baby while working in one of the most demanding jobs in the world has been the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least. 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 — and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life.
“President Trump has asked me to continue serving as a top advisor to him on the outside, and I will always remain a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party. Our country is facing an existential threat from an increasingly extremist Democrat Party that seeks to destroy everything great about America, and I believe it is incumbent upon all of us who care about this country to fight back against that threat. My fight is entering a new phase, but it is far from over."
Karoline Leavitt will step down as White House press secretary at the end of the month -Credit:AFP via Getty Images
Leavitt then concluded the lengthy update adding, “Thank you again to the President, the First Lady, and the entire Trump family for your kindness and generosity over the years. Thank you to our amazing Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for empowering me since the day she hired me on the campaign, and to the President’s cabinet, my staff, colleagues, and friends at the White House who work so hard on behalf of our nation. It has been a privilege to serve alongside so many accomplished and impressive people, and I look forward to cheering them on over the next two and a half years.
“And of course, thank you most especially to my loving and supportive husband and family for the sacrifices they made for me to serve in this role.”
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
