Karoline Leavitt left the stresses of being President Donald Trump’s White House press secretary aside to spend time with her nearest and dearest for a wholesome day out

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holding a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in January (Image: Getty Images)

When Karoline Leavitt isn’t batting off journalists’ probes into how President Donald Trump is running the country, she’s a mom to baby boy Niko.

The youngest ever White House press secretary – known for bristling at criticism – took to her Instagram over the weekend to share an insight into what she does on her day off – and this time she and her little one headed to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute near Front Royal, Virginia.

Karoline, 27, shared an adorable snap of herself cuddling little Niko in front of one of the enclosures. The mother-son duo both beamed big smiles for the camera.

For the wholesome outing, Karoline opted for a comfortable-looking ensemble that consisted of a black tank top and white flowy pants. She accessorized with black shades and had her signature blonde locks pulled back off her face in a loose braid.

Karoline posing for an adorable selfie with her son Niko at the zoo

Meanwhile, Niko was certainly dressed for the occasion, rocking a tiny brown button-up shirt and matching shorts decorated with animals like zebras and giraffes.

To complete his safari-themed look, he wore a khaki bucket hat and cute white buckled-up shoes.

Karoline’s husband, Nicholas Riccio, who is 32 years her senior, was also present for the fun day out and he made a brief feature on her Instagram Story.

The real estate tycoon was snapped holding baby Niko up on a pillar as he admired some of the animals. Karoline penned: “Dada always has our backs,” atop the tender snap.

Karoline shared a candid snap of her husband Nicholas holding up their son to look at the animals
Karoline’s followers were quick to compliment the press secretary with gushing comments. One fan @teresachristianpatriot penned: “Doing an amazing job! Very proud of you representing our country!”

As a second user @redwhiteandvibrant insisted: “BOSS LADY NEEDS A DAY OFF. WELL DESERVED,” with a third fan @rofiquehussain echoing: “You’re absolutely nailing it as press secretary! And Happy Easter.”

A fourth user @moniediaz sweetly chimed in: “You are so beautiful and smart! I love how strong you are! You are truly an inspiration!”

Elsewhere, followers couldn’t help but comment on how adorable Niko looked in his little outfit. User @juniethrodman wrote: “His outfit is adorable!! Perfect for the occasion!!”

With @miataz200 seconding: “Very cute outfit for Niko,” followed by a red heart emoji.

The family outing comes just a few days after Karoline was forced to halt the White House press conference.

On Friday, a press conference was held as President Trump swore in television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz. He will serve as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator during Trump’s second administration.

As the press conference was slowly came to and end, it was then dramatically cut short, with the screen going to black. As per FOX News, Karoline had to call an end to the briefing and quickly usher out one of Dr Oz’s children.

Karoline could then be heard ordering the press to drop everything and get “out.” Trump was then momentarily seen leaving his podium to decipher what was going on, while Dr Oz’s wife, Lisa, put her hand on her chest with a worried expression on her face. Dr Oz, meanwhile, was seen rushing over to assist.

Further video footage showed reporters helping someone up from the ground, although it was unclear who the person was.