Trump faces backlash over Leavitt appearance remarks on Air Force One

President Donald Trump praised White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt aboard Air Force One on Monday, telling reporters returning from his Middle East trip that "that face... and those lips, they move like a machine gun," in an exchange that drew criticism online and renewed scrutiny of his remarks about female colleagues. The comments came as Trump asked pool reporters whether Leavitt was doing a good job and whether she should be replaced.

When a reporter replied that the decision was up to the president, Trump said, "It'll never happen," then added his description of Leavitt's appearance. Leavitt, standing nearby, stepped in with a joking aside, "Nobody wants to stick up for me?" The brief interaction was recorded and circulated online.

Trump made a similar comment in August during an interview in which he praised Leavitt as "a star" and said, "It's that face. It's that brain. It's those lips, the way they move. They move like she's a machine gun." Those earlier remarks, and Monday's repetition, prompted many social media users to describe the latest comment as inappropriate; critics called it "gross" or "weird," while some supporters posted approving messages about...