Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, is making headlines again, this time for reposting a cryptic message that tried to tie an earthquake in Utah to the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The original post, first shared on X, claimed the tremor was no coincidence. It read, “On the night Charlie was shot, a 4.1 earthquake struck Utah. In scripture, 40 represents trials; 41 signifies a shift. It hit at 5:57 local time, 7:57 Eastern.” The post then pointed to Acts 7:57, which describes Stephen, the first Christian martyr, being stoned to death. “The Bible says the earth trembles when God is angry. That night, as a voice was silenced, the ground groaned.”
Leavitt reposted the message on Instagram with a single word: “Wow.”
The University of Utah Seismograph Stations confirmed a 4.1 quake at 5:57 p.m. on September 10, the same evening Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University. The campus is about 150 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter.
For Leavitt, a devout Catholic, this wasn’t the first time her social media activity raised eyebrows. Last month, after two children were killed in a Minneapolis church shooting, she reposted a piece from a conservative lifestyle magazine that blamed the tragedy on a “demonic force.” The post stated, “There is a demonic force moving when a transgender maniac sprays bullets at pews of Catholic school children. Shame on the progressive leaders and lawmakers who make this about the man in the White House, the Second Amendment, or so-called trans bigotry.”
Her public statements often frame politics in stark spiritual terms. In March, she told the Christian Broadcasting Network that Donald Trump’s survival of an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, was divine intervention. “I think there were certainly evil forces, and I think that the president was saved by the grace of God on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, and he’s in this moment for a reason.”
Leavitt, who frequently wears a cross necklace at briefings, has been open about how central faith is to her role. Speaking to the Stanley M. Herzog Foundation, she said, “I try to wear it every day. Because I love Jesus and I believe my faith is the reason I’m here.”
In April, she revealed that her team begins every press briefing with prayer. “I think that team prayer before is just a moment to be silent and still and ask God for confidence and the ability to articulate my words, knowledge, prayer, and protection, and it is a nice moment to reset,” she told CBN.
The combination of politics, faith, and cryptic social media posts has made Leavitt one of the most talked-about figures in Trump’s circle. Supporters praise her openness about religion, while critics say her posts blur the line between faith and official government communication.
For now, her latest repost has only deepened that divide, with many still debating whether it was a harmless expression of belief or a troubling sign of where political rhetoric is heading.