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Donald Trump’s administration is being likened to "middle schoolers" after a bizarre "your mom" remark from US press secretary Karoline Leavitt has continued to reverberate online.
The incident has drawn fresh attention to what critics see as a culture of juvenile deflection within the president’s inner circle.
The Republicans Against Trump account referenced a moment involving US secretary of war, Pete Hegseth, during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent visit. Hegseth was questioned about his choice of necktie, which featured colours resembling those of the Russian flag.
When HuffPost asked Hegseth’s aides whether he had worn the tie before, Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell issued a brow-raising statement: "Your mom bought it for him – and it’s a patriotic American tie, moron."
The exchange didn’t end there.
HuffPost followed up with a question about whether Hegseth, who is often seen in outfits made from pieces of the US flag, was aware of the US Flag Code, which explicitly states: "The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery."
This time, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson responded with a more formal, though no less defiant, defence: "If loving one’s country enough to represent it head to toe is a crime in the eyes of the leftist blog known as HuffPost, then consider Secretary Hegseth guilty. He is a patriot who reveres this country and our flag."
Still, it was the initial "your mom" line that caused a stir online, with critics blasting the administration for behaving like teens rather than leaders on the world stage.
"It’s sad and disturbing to watch this happen to our once-respected federal government," one person responded, as another humoured: "You just insulted every middle schooler in the audience!"
Meanwhile, a third quipped: "Nothing says pure strength like a mom joke."
It comes after the US press secretary Karoline Leavitt was called out after she shared a massive self-own on social media, posting a screenshot of her 'infantile' reply to a journalist’s basic question.
In a message about president Donald Trump’s upcoming meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, which is reportedly due to be held in Hungary in the near future, a journalist asked who suggested Budapest as the meeting location.
As per the screenshot Leavitt shared, she replied: “Your mom did.”
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