A Florida hospital has fired a labor and delivery nurse after a TikTok video surfaced in which she made comments about White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt during pregnancy. Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer later posted about the video on X, writing, “I was in touch with hospital leadership as soon as I learned this afternoon and have been informed that this person is no longer employed there. These disgusting comments have no place in medicine or in our community.”
The nurse, Lexie Lawler, previously worked at Baptist Health Boca Raton Regional Hospital. In the video posted on TikTok, Lawler said, “As a labor and delivery nurse, it gives me great joy to wish Karoline Leavitt a fourth-degree tear.” She then added, “I hope you f—-ing rip from bow to stern and never s— normally again, you c—,” according to the video.
The comments spread quickly online and prompted backlash, especially given Lawler’s role caring for pregnant patients. In response, the hospital moved quickly to distance itself from the remarks.
In a statement to CBS 12 News, Patty Abril, director of media relations and strategic communications at Baptist Health, confirmed that Lawler is no longer employed by the hospital. She said, “The comments made in a social media video by a nurse at one of our facilities do not reflect our values or the standards we expect of healthcare professionals.”
Abril added, “Following a prompt review, the individual is no longer employed by our health system.”
She also emphasized that the issue went beyond personal opinions and into professional responsibility. “While we respect the right to personal opinions, there is no place in healthcare for language or behavior that calls into question a caregiver’s ability to provide compassionate, unbiased care,” Abril said. “We are committed to an environment that promotes trust, professionalism and respect for all.”
The controversy comes as Leavitt prepares to welcome another child. In December, she announced that she and her husband Nick are expecting a baby girl due in May. The couple already share a son, Niko, who was born in July 2024.
The White House was contacted for comment on the situation. The hospital was also contacted in an attempt to reach Lawler, and efforts were made to reach her by phone, but no response was reported.
The incident has fueled a broader conversation online about professionalism, social media behavior, and the expectations placed on healthcare workers. For many observers, the fact that the comments came from someone entrusted with caring for mothers and babies only intensified the reaction. The hospital’s decision to terminate Lawler appears to reflect how seriously it viewed both the content of the video and the potential impact on patient trust.