Former Trump Official Fires Back After Critics Claim She Was 'Zapping the President Awake With a Button on Her Belly'
Jayme Leagh Franklin went off on her critics on X.
Aug. 12 2026, Published 3:45 p.m. ET
Former Trump official Jayme Leagh Franklin sparked online confusion after her hand placement during a White House event led to a theory that she was "zapping" President Donald Trump awake, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Franklin shut it down, explaining there was a much simpler reason her hand was near her stomach.
Bizarre 'Zapper' Theory Takes Off
Jayme Leagh Franklin appeared behind President Trump during an Oval Office event.
Franklin appeared behind Trump during the Monday, August 10 event, where the president announced changes to federal childhood vaccine recommendations.
Hefox announced changes to childhood vaccine guidance, including plans to separate some vaccinations across different visits and pursue separate measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines.
As footage circulated online, social media users focused on Franklin's movements, with some jokingly describing the former White House staffer as a "robot" or "bobble head."
Others asked, "Question! Does Jayme Franklin look like a cyborg MAGA? Look at how her head moves!"
"That blank stare... It's the cyborg from Megan 3?" a comment read, referring to the popular film franchise.
Another wrote, "She looks like you could blow air right through her ears."
"I bet it is a Tesla robot," a user speculated.
Social media users became fixated on Franklin's hand placement near her stomach.
'They're Calling Her The Zapper'
One viral X post bizarrely claimed Franklin had a button fitted to her belly that she could use to wake Trump if he fell asleep.
The post went viral alongside the footage of Franklin standing behind Trump, with a user writing, "Claims she has a button fitted on her belly, and when she gets the nod that he's asleep, she moves her hand and presses a button that wakes him."
"They're calling her The Zapper," the user continued.
The post also included a major caveat, admitting, "No idea if it's true but it appears to line up."
Another comment read, "It's really weird how she's keeping her hand on her belly all the time."
There was no evidence that Franklin had any such device, but the theory became a talking point online before Franklin decided to respond.
Jayme Leagh Franklin Responds
Jayme Leagh Franklin responded to the speculation with a blunt message.
"I'm just pregnant, you weirdos," she wrote on X.
The conservative commentator also commented on theories that Trump had fallen asleep during the meeting.
"I didn't understand that," she said, per The Daily Mail. "From my perspective, he was looking down. This president is the most active we've ever had, so that narrative is just so fundamentally false."
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Who Is Jayme Leagh Franklin?
Franklin is the founder and CEO of The Conservateur, a conservative media and lifestyle brand.
Franklin, 28, is the founder and CEO of The Conservateur, a conservative media and lifestyle brand covering politics, culture, faith, fashion and lifestyle.
She previously worked on Trump's 2020 campaign and during his first White House administration, and is often a guest on Fox News.
