Danica Patrick’s ‘absolute legend’ message to Karoline Leavitt draws attention

Danica Patrick built her public profile through a racing career that ended in 2018. Since then, she has remained visible through media work, her Pretty Intense podcast, social media, and increasingly outspoken political commentary. This week, she praised outgoing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Instagram, calling her an “absolute legend.”

The tribute appeared on an Instagram Story while Patrick was traveling in Europe, where she had been sharing vacation photos separately. Leavitt is scheduled to leave the White House at the end of August. The moment reflects how Patrick’s public life has expanded well beyond racing.

From racetrack star to media personality

Patrick made motorsports history as the first woman to win an IndyCar Series race, taking the 2008 Indy Japan 300. In 2013, she became the first woman to win a NASCAR Cup Series pole when she qualified first for the Daytona 500. Those achievements remain defining parts of her racing career.

Patrick ended full-time racing after the 2017 season before returning for farewell appearances in the 2018 Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500. Her fitness and wellness book Pretty Intense was published in December 2017, and she launched the Pretty Intense podcast in 2019.

Patrick also moved into broadcasting after racing. She joined Sky Sports F1’s coverage for the 2021 United States Grand Prix and later appeared regularly as a motorsports analyst. Her post-racing public profile now includes media work, wellness content, travel, and political commentary.

A tribute follows Leavitt’s exit announcement

Patrick recently praised Karoline Leavitt in an Instagram Story, calling her an “absolute legend” for her work as White House press secretary. Leavitt became the youngest person ever to hold the position when she took the role in 2025.

President Donald Trump announced on August 12 that Leavitt will leave the White House at the end of August 2026 to spend more time with her family. Patrick congratulated her on her work and her decision to step away.

Patrick shared the tribute while she was on a European vacation, but her recent vacation photographs were posted separately. She has shared images from destinations including Mykonos, Ibiza, and Santorini during the trip.

Vacation posts accompanied a political week online

Patrick has been sharing photographs from a European summer trip that included stops in Santorini, Mykonos, and Ibiza. Her recent posts have featured beaches, outdoor activities, fitness, and time with her boyfriend.

The Leavitt tribute was separate from those vacation carousels. Patrick posted the political message through Instagram Stories after Leavitt announced that she planned to leave the White House at the end of August.

Patrick has also continued sharing fitness-related content during the trip. After commenters criticized her appearance in vacation photos, she responded with posts about her meals, protein intake, and weight training.

Patrick’s political involvement began at AmFest

Patrick has said her first political event was Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix in December 2023, which she attended with her sister. Photos she posted from the event prompted criticism from some followers.

Patrick later addressed her political position on Instagram, describing herself at the time as somewhere between Republican and independent. She also said she believed people should be able to speak freely and that face-to-face conversations can reveal more common ground than political arguments suggest.

Patrick has since said the backlash pushed her further into politics rather than discouraging her. In a later reflection, she said the reaction to her first AmFest appearance motivated her to speak at the event the following year and campaign for Donald Trump.

Turning Point USA became a recurring platform

Turning Point USA became a recurring part of Patrick’s political activity after she attended AmericaFest for the first time in December 2023. Patrick later said the backlash over that appearance motivated her to become more involved rather than withdraw from politics.

She went on to speak at Turning Point events, including AmericaFest. Her public remarks have discussed her path into politics, her support for conservative causes, and her views about patriotism and free expression.

Patrick continued appearing at AmericaFest in subsequent years, including as a speaker in 2025. Her involvement with the organization became one of the most visible parts of her political activity after leaving professional racing.

Fun fact: Patrick began kart racing at age 10 and quickly progressed into competitive events before eventually pursuing professional open-wheel racing.

Patrick has faced mixed reactions before

Patrick’s political posts have produced divided reactions from followers in the past. When she first shared photographs from Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in 2023, some followers criticized her attendance while others supported her political expression.

Her latest Leavitt tribute was posted on Instagram Stories, and available reporting does not establish the same documented political split among followers as in some of her earlier posts. Her recent vacation content has generated a different kind of attention, including comments about her appearance.

Patrick does sometimes respond directly to criticism. In August 2026, she answered comments about her physique by posting photographs of her meals and workouts and discussing her protein intake and weight training.

Trump’s support became a major political theme

Patrick cast her first vote in the 2024 presidential election and publicly said she voted for Donald Trump. Before Election Day, she appeared at campaign events and spoke in support of the Trump-Vance ticket. Her support became a consistent theme across her interviews and social posts.

Patrick’s involvement went beyond a single endorsement. She attended rallies during the closing stretch of the campaign and traveled with Trump’s campaign during the final days before the election. She has referred to him warmly in captions accompanying those images.

She has continued expressing support for Trump since the election. In April 2026, Patrick attended a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix where Trump spoke and later shared photographs from their interaction. These moments have kept her name connected to national political conversations well beyond racing circles.

Politics is now part of Patrick’s public image

Patrick’s post-racing public life includes media work, wellness projects, social media, and increasingly prominent political commentary. Her tribute to Leavitt is one recent example of the political views she now shares publicly.

Patrick also continues posting lifestyle content, including fitness and travel. However, those topics do not appear alongside politics in every major post, and her Leavitt message was separate from her recent vacation carousels.

Her political activity has nevertheless become a visible part of her public profile alongside her racing legacy and media work. Recent appearances at political events and support for Trump have kept her involved in political coverage years after her final professional race.

Little-known fact: In September 2022, The Washington Post reported that Leavitt became the second Gen Z candidate to win a congressional primary that year after winning New Hampshire’s Republican primary.

TL;DR

1. Danica Patrick praised outgoing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt as an “absolute legend” in an Instagram Story.
2. Patrick posted the tribute while traveling in Europe, separately from her recent vacation photo carousels.
3. Patrick has said her first political event was Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix in December 2023.
4. She later spoke at political events, campaigned for Donald Trump, and cast her first-ever vote for him in 2024.
5. Patrick now regularly shares political commentary alongside her broader mix of racing, media, fitness, and lifestyle content.

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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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