When White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the birth of her second child with husband Nicholas Riccio, she expected the world to congratulate her. However, she received an unexpected and disturbing response from Iran that sent chills across social media.
On Thursday, May 7, Leavitt posted a picture of herself holding the newborn baby and revealed that she and her husband had welcomed a daughter named Viviana. They nicknamed her “Vivi.”
Leavitt wrote on X:
“On May 1st, Viviana, aka “Vivi”, joined our family, and our hearts instantly exploded with love. 💕”
She also thanked everyone who sent her good wishes and prayers during her pregnancy and added:
“I truly felt them throughout the entire experience. God is Good.🙏”
On May 1st, Viviana aka “Vivi” joined our family, and our hearts instantly exploded with love. 💕
She is perfect and healthy, and her big brother is joyfully adjusting to life with his new baby sister. We are enjoying every moment in our blissful newborn bubble.
Thank you to… pic.twitter.com/wM1P1zEGsa
— Karoline Leavitt (@karolineleavitt) May 7, 2026
What was a sheer celebratory post and moment of joy for her, her family, fans, followers, and well-wishers, quickly turned dark and political after the Iranian embassy’s comment.
After her announcement, the Iranian embassy in Armenia reposted her X post and tied it to the deadly strike on a school in Iran earlier this year.
The embassy wrote:
“Congratulations to you. Children are innocent and lovable. Those 168 children that your boss killed in the school in Minab, and you justified, were also children. When you kiss your baby, think of the mothers of those children.”
Congratulations to you. Children are innocent and lovable. Those 168 children that your boss killed in the school in Minab, and you justified, were also children. When you kiss your baby, think of the mothers of those children. https://t.co/uhypZFhRRf
— IRI Embassy in Armenia (@iraninyerevan) May 9, 2026
The comment referred to a Feb. 28 missile strike during the early stages of the joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran. Iran claimed that one of the missiles hit Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab and killed 168 people, of whom 110 were children.
The strike reportedly occurred on a Saturday morning, which marks the start of the school week in Iran, when classrooms were filled with students.
Satellite imagery and expert assessments pointed to a different target. Statements from a U.S. official also suggested the missile was meant to hit a nearby compound linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
The attack drew widespread criticism at the time and still remains a focal point of questioning during war-related interviews and press conferences, reports The Mirror.
At a Pentagon media briefing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the strike questions and said:
“All I can say is that we’re investigating that. We, of course, never target civilian targets. But we’re taking a look and investigating that.”
President Donald Trump also dodged the question during a recent press conference. A reporter asked the president:
“We’re at a point almost 10 weeks after a missile hit a girls’ school in Iran, who fired that missile?”
To which, he replied:
“So uhh, that’s under study right now and we’ll give you a report as soon as we have it.”
This comes after Leavitt faced a cruel backlash after announcing the birth of her second child.
