A Florida nursing disciplinary board has recommended only a $250 fine and social media training for a nurse who publicly wished severe childbirth injuries on former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a TikTok video. Alexis Lawler, 56, was fired from Baptist Health Boca Raton Regional Hospital and had her licence temporarily suspended after the January video, in which she said it would give her "great joy" if Leavitt suffered a "fourth-degree tear" while pregnant. The recommendation, from the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings, stops short of revoking her licence, though the final call rests with the Florida Board of Nurses.

Leavitt, 28, was around five months pregnant with her second child when Lawler posted the video, which included further crude and abusive language. Administrative judge Robert Cohen called Lawler's comments "vile" and said they showed "a total lack of compassion and professionalism", but noted mitigating factors including her clean disciplinary record, the fact she did not name her employer, and no evidence she had treated patients differently over political views. Lawler argued she was exercising her First Amendment rights on her own time, though Cohen said the outcome might have differed had the video been private rather than posted publicly. The case drew complaints including from Boca Raton's mayor, and two patients gave testimony during the hearing.