Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accidentally broadcast an Instagram Live session from her bed that drew 1,157 concurrent viewers, easily eclipsing the audience of the administration’s official state media channel, “Trump TV,” at the exact same hour. The 29-year-old comms professional, who resigned from her official post in August 2025, sparked a viral moment on Sunday, September 27, when she inadvertently triggered the live feature while attempting to edit a social media reel.
Karoline Leavitt’s Accidental Broadcast Draws Over 1,000 Viewers
The accidental stream began just before 2 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday as Leavitt reclined in bed alongside her five-month-old daughter, Viviana. According to a screengrab captured by The Daily Beast, the broadcast immediately pulled 1,157 viewers before a startled Leavitt terminated the video without speaking. In a follow-up Instagram post cited by outlets, Leavitt explained the mishap, writing, “Just accidentally went live while trying to edit a reel LOL. Sorry to those who got excited… but maybe I should go live soon and I can answer some questions from you guys?! For now, we are going to take our Sunday nap. Byeee!” AOL noted that Leavitt stepped down from her White House role on August 27 after serving for roughly seven months to spend time with her children.
Trump TV Viewership Plunges Amid Media Blackout Backlash
While Leavitt’s unplanned pocket-broadcast drew over a thousand eyeballs, the official White House YouTube channel—officially titled “TRUMP TV: The Essentials Station”—suffered a steep drop in engagement. At the exact moment of Leavitt’s stream, the administration channel attracted just 187 watchers, according to The Daily Beast. The network launched on September 21 to an opening-hour audience of roughly 8,500 concurrent viewers, as reported by Axios, but plunged by nearly 95 percent within days to fewer than 500 watchers. The administration created the 24/7 stream after barring major outlets including CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from White House grounds, prompting a solidarity boycott where broadcast networks NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox News pulled out of pooled television arrangements.
Random YouTube Videos Outperform White House Feed
Throughout its first week, the official White House broadcast frequently lagged behind random ambient content hosted on YouTube. According to reporting from The Daily Beast and AOL, streams such as a spinning box fan playing against a darkened background, a video of a man receiving a pedicure, and automated playlists like “Rain on a Porch, Black Screen” vastly outperformed the official government feed. Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel poked fun at the metrics during his Thursday broadcast, quipping that “the only channel doing worse is the Strait of Hormuz,” as reported by The Daily Beast.
Karoline Leavitt accidental Instagram Live broadcast details
- When did Karoline Leavitt’s accidental Instagram Live occur? The unprompted broadcast took place just before 2 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, September 27, while she was in bed with her five-month-old daughter, Viviana.
- How many people watched the accidental broadcast compared to Trump TV? Leavitt’s brief stream drew 1,157 viewers, while the official White House “Trump TV” channel recorded just 187 concurrent viewers at that same time.
- Why was Trump TV created? The administration launched the YouTube livestream channel on September 21 following disputes over press access that led to revoked credentials for outlets like CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, and a subsequent suspension of pooled coverage by major broadcast networks.
Keep reading