Karoline Leavitt has hit out at the backlash surrounding WNBA player Sophie Cunningham, who was dubbed “MAGA Barbie” over comments relating to trans athletes.
The White House press secretary launched a staunch defense of the Indiana Fever guard after she came under fire for saying she wanted to “protect young girls in a locker room” and prevent female athletes from having to compete against “biological men.”
Cunningham was subsequently mocked online by critics, who described her as “MAGA Barbie” and aligned her with the views of President Donald Trump and his movement.
Asked about the backlash during the White House press briefing on Thursday, Leavitt said Trump was following the story and agreed with her sentiment.
She also praised Cunningham for “standing up for women and girls,” telling reporters: “It’s completely ludicrous that anyone could support that.”
“It’s even more ludicrous that you do have Sophia Cunningham, a female athlete herself, very accomplished in her own right, coming forth and speaking her truth—that men should play in women’s sports.
“We want to protect women and girls, and the backlash she is receiving from Democrats and left-wing thinkers across the country is astonishing”
Cunningham, 29, opened up in a wide-ranging interview with ESPN published Tuesday. Among the topics covered was trans people’s participation in sports.
“I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest,” she said.
But she also pushed back against the criticism she’d received, insisting that “I’m very much in the middle” when it comes to politics.
“I agree with things on both sides, disagree with things on both sides. And that’s all I’ve ever said about my political beliefs,” she said.
The nickname “MAGA Barbie” has become something of an online shorthand for conventionally attractive women perceived to hold, or be sympathetic to, conservative views.
Actress Sydney Sweeney was also given the moniker by some social media users after appearing in a series of American Eagle advertisements, fueling rumors about her political affiliations.
But Cunningham’s comments also reflect a broader political culture wars fight for Trump, who has made restricting transgender participation in female sports a cornerstone of his administration’s policies.
“We had transgender for everybody,” he falsely claimed at a rally in Georgia on Thursday.
“Men and women’s sports came ravaging through our cities. And the whole world was laughing at us. We were a joke all over the world, but not anymore. They’re not laughing.”
Cunningham’s profile has extended well beyond the basketball court over the past year. During a fiery game this season, cameras captured the Fever guard emphatically pointing toward an opposing player while rushing to defend teammate Caitlin Clark after a hard foul.
The freeze-frame quickly went viral, spawning countless memes across X, TikTok and Instagram.
