When White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced last week she was leaving her job, the official reason was time with her young children. But several anonymous White House employees say the real story is more complicated — and that female staffers are burning out under the weight of a demanding job and an exacting beauty standard.
In interviews with the Daily Mail, these employees described a "MAGA perfect" aesthetic that female staff, including Leavitt and executive assistant Natalie Harp, are expected to maintain daily. The routine, they said, can involve daily hair blow-outs, time at the gym, and regular Botox treatments — on top of long hours and being available to a famously demanding president 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"You have to be exceptional at your job, which is a given, but if you're a woman you have to look a certain way, dress a certain way and be available 24/7, because this is a president who barely sleeps," one "burned-out" White House staffer told the Daily Mail. "Add to that the pressure of a family at home, and it's no wonder so many of us flame out."
A Pattern of Departures
The personal toll comes into sharper focus amid a broader exodus of women from the president's inner circle. Six women have left since January, according to the Daily Mail, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem.
Noem, in particular, became known for fully embracing the MAGA look. During her 14-month tenure, she was dubbed "ICE Barbie" for pairing cascading hair and heavy makeup with bullet-proof vests during Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Trump's daughter Ivanka, too, was frequently given Barbie-related monikers during his first term.
The aesthetic itself — cascading hair, heavy makeup, puffed-up lips, slim figures, and long legs — has been likened to a Barbie-doll ideal by cultural critics at Mother Jones and the New York Times, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.
The High Cost of Style
Beyond the physical demands, the standard carries a financial burden. Younger aides do not earn large salaries, yet they are expected to cover the cost of professional wardrobes and styling, according to the Daily Mail. A legal source told the outlet that "most of the women at the White House get their hair blown out at least twice a week before work and then there is pressure to go to the gym and dress well."
The pressure is not merely about appearance, but about competing for the president's attention. "They get the Botox and fillers because the White House is a competitive place. Everyone is vying for his attention. He's the President of the United States, for God's sake," one source said.
Perspectives on the President's Expectations
Critics argue that Trump's views on female appearance stem from misogyny. Anthony Scaramucci, the former White House communications director, told the Daily Mail: "Remember, people are transactions to Donald Trump — they're not people." He said the president sees women as "transactions in his field of vision."
Supporters, however, push back against the idea that the president imposes unreasonable demands. They told the Daily Mail that Trump requires "a certain level of professionalism and beauty" because he is a businessman who "has always believed that you need to dress to impress." They add that he does not force women to have 6 a.m. blow-outs or undergo plastic surgery; rather, women do what they can to impress their boss.
This defense frames the president's expectations as a normal professional standard in a high-stakes environment — one where appearance and performance go hand in hand.
The Toll on Staff
The staffers who spoke to the Daily Mail describe an environment where excellence in the job is simply the baseline. What makes it unsustainable, they say, is the combination of relentless professional demands, exacting aesthetic expectations, and the impossibility of switching off.
As the departures continue, the question of whether the White House culture will change remains open. For now, the anonymous voices offer a rare glimpse into the personal cost of maintaining the administration's polished, "MAGA perfect" image.