Jayme Leagh Franklin, a 26-year-old conservative podcaster, has addressed speculation and rumors surrounding her appearance alongside President Donald Trump in the Oval Office during a recent event. Franklin was present for an announcement regarding new guidance on childhood vaccines.
Franklin, a co-founder of the online platform The Conservateur and co-host of the Sincerely American podcast, was invited to the White House event concerning federal guidance on childhood vaccines. She stated she was surprised when White House staff asked her to stand near the president as he made his remarks. President Trump announced new guidance recommending that the combined measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine be administered in three separate doses due to concerns about potential links to autism.
During the announcement, some social media users observed that Trump appeared to close his eyes at times while other health officials were speaking. Franklin, however, dismissed these observations, suggesting they might be due to camera angles. She told the Daily Mail that from her vantage point, the president was looking down at his desk as officials spoke, rather than directly at reporters or cameras. Franklin described the president as "the most active we've ever had" and called the speculation about him dozing off "fundamentally false."
Franklin also revealed that she is 23 weeks pregnant and due in December. She expressed her support for the new executive order recommending a spaced-out schedule for childhood vaccinations, stating that she vaccinated her first daughter on her own schedule and believes in parental freedom regarding such decisions.
Franklin's presence in the Oval Office sparked online commentary, with some users labeling her a "robot" for her perceived nodding during the event. Others speculated about her hand placement on her stomach, nicknaming her "The Zapper" and joking she was a remote control to keep the president awake. Franklin responded to this on X, stating, "I'm just pregnant you weirdos."
Franklin has indicated that she takes such criticism in stride, viewing it as a sign of making an impact. "Being a conservative woman, I've gotten a ton of hate over the years, and I honestly take it as a compliment," she said. "I think it means that you're doing great things, and I don't take myself too seriously so I can laugh at stuff."
Franklin's husband works for the America First Policy Institute. She has previously attended White House press briefings in a special New Media seat and has interviewed figures such as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins on her podcast. She also participated in a White House listening session focused on the Make America Healthy Again movement.