Since President Donald Trump assumed office for a second term in January, several women serving as senior aides and cabinet officials have posted steady streams of personal and professionally styled content on Instagram, prompting communications experts to describe the activity as an unspoken social media rulebook for the administration.
The accounts mix family photos, behind-the-scenes glimpses and highly produced visuals, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt frequently sharing images of her one-year-old son, Nico, and husband Nicholas Riccio; Lara Trump posting vlog-style "day in the life" videos from the White House; and Special Assistant and Communications Advisor Margo Martin using her account to chronicle events such as a 30th birthday celebration on Nantucket. Other posts cited by observers include Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s recent tribute to her mother, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s exercise photos, and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ July posts about python hunting and her son’s high school prom.
Communications strategists who spoke to the Daily Mail said the feed of curated personal posts is deliberate. "Anything any of Trump's people share online is strategic," Baruch Labunski, CEO of digital marketing agency Rank Secure, told Daily Mail. "Trump is a major marketer and knows how to manipulate the press. There is no doubt he picked people who have that same skill."
Ryan McCormick, managing partner at Goldman McCormick PR, said the pattern is one of selective positivity: aides appear "careful to only present positive information" on social media, both about their personal lives and their official roles. He pointed to examples such as Rollins, who highlights programs benefiting farmers with polished visuals and snippets of remarks, and Lara Trump, who shares media appearances, lifestyle content and occasional product mentions that could signal future political positioning.
Observers noted professional quality across the accounts, with high-definition images, consistent lighting and an overall upbeat tone. "What ties all of these accounts together is consistency in the quality of the visuals (most are HD)," McCormick said. "They are well lit and carry an upbeat tone (saying this is the vibe of the Trump Presidency)."
Experts also said the accounts allow the aides to bypass traditional media and engage directly with followers, though they acknowledged limits to control. "None of the content that I saw for any of Trump's leading women appears to be going off message or contradicting firm positions that the President is taking," McCormick said. "However, what is noticeable on some of their posts are followers who write unfavorable comments. Leaving these up underscores that no matter how carefully these aides curate their image, public perception remains outside their control."
Labunski added that female leaders in high-profile roles often attract heightened media interest, which may drive a greater emphasis on personal content. "Women leaders can sometimes carry an extra burden as they often garner more interest from the press," he said, noting that attention can stem from their positions of power or perceptions of the president. "The administration and individuals want to make the most of media interest."
The social media pattern dovetails with other reportedly informal norms among the group, including a noted preference for certain ready-to-wear labels and a consistent, polished wardrobe. Over recent months, the aides have been observed wearing designers such as Veronica Beard, Maje and Sandro, as well as more accessible brands like Zara, producing a cohesive visual presentation that communication analysts say complements the curated online content.
The posts span a range of timeframes: some images were highlighted from July, others from "recently" or "last week," and aides continue to refresh their feeds with personal and official content. The strategy, according to the cited advisers, appears intended to present a positive, relatable image of those around the president while maintaining alignment with administration messaging.
The aides' social media activity has not produced any public departures from official policy positions, according to McCormick’s review. Experts said continued scrutiny of both the content and public reaction will determine whether the approach sustains favorable engagement or invites greater criticism as the administration’s communications evolve.
(Reporting based on a Daily Mail account and interviews with communications professionals.)