The internet erupted in disbelief after Jillian Michaels, best known as a trainer on The Biggest Loser, was given the first question at a White House press briefing on Thursday. Michaels, now a conservative podcaster and Trump supporter, was invited by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to ask about the administration’s newly released report on childhood chronic illness.
The inclusion of Michaels in the briefing room, a seat designated for nontraditional media, sparked widespread criticism online. Many viewed it as a politicization of the press briefing process.
“This timeline is just so stupid,” one Bluesky user wrote, summing up the mood online. Twitter (now X), Reddit, and TikTok weren’t far behind, lighting up with disbelief that a former reality TV fitness trainer was now sitting front row at the podium in what the White House calls its “new media” seat.
The moment came as the Trump White House, through its Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission — led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — released a new report on childhood chronic illness. Michaels was there both to attend the MAHA event and, apparently, to kick off the press briefing.
Leavitt introduced Michaels as a “media powerhouse” and plugged her podcast, Keeping It Real. Michaels, now a conservative pundit and Trump voter after once calling Mike Pence “the number one anti-gay politician in the country,” asked a carefully crafted question straight out of the PR playbook:
“As a MAHA mom yourself, how do you interpret the significance of this report in terms of delivering measurable health improvement for Americans and their kids? And what specific actions does the administration plan to take in response to it?”
Leavitt called it “another promise kept” by Trump.
But online, few were buying it. Many saw Michaels’ appearance as the latest sign that the Trump White House is turning official government functions into cable-ready theater — with influencers and political converts playing press.
“Jillian Michaels is in the new media seat at the White House press briefing,” one X user posted. “This timeline is so wild.”
“I could write a dissertation about the new media seat,” wrote columnist Laura Bassett. Another journalist, Kelcie Moseley-Morris, said, “My 2005 self would be so confused by this.”
Plenty more just laughed. Some had to “do a double take” when they saw Michaels behind the mic. Others called the whole thing a joke.
“Spectacular levels of unseriousness,” one person commented. Another piled on: “The least serious country in the entire benighted history of the solar system.”
For many, this wasn’t just about Michaels. It was about what her presence symbolized — a blurring of the line between reality TV, social media influence, and federal governance. And in that sense, the internet had a point.
Watch the clip below:
At White House press briefing, Jillian Michaels asks about MAHA … pic.twitter.com/ahPkuT4QOz
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) May 22, 2025
