Claudia Conway addressed the backlash she received after hosting a party at her house for her 16th birthday.
Both Conway and her mom Kellyanne, a former counselor to President Donald Trump, tested positive for the coronavirus but have since reportedly recovered. The 16-year-old TikTok star previously blamed her mother for infecting her.
On Saturday, a video surfaced of the party in celebration of her 16th birthday, which was on Oct. 17. In the video, a maskless Kellyanne can be seen holding a microphone. It is unclear how many—if any—guests are wearing masks.
People are mostly disappointed after having been “rooting” for the young Conway, who has been an outspoken advocate of coronavirus safety measures. Others simply blamed Kellyanne, as she is the adult in the situation. “Why is @KellyannePolls at a PARTY with a bunch of TEENAGERS in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC?? seems like a great example to me!!” one user tweeted.
Conway reportedly privatized her TikTok account Saturday night and responded to the backlash on Sunday via Snapchat. She said her party followed local coronavirus guidelines and that those in attendance practiced social distancing and were given face masks to wear. She said the party got “out of hand” after strangers started showing up uninvited and that they “immediately kicked EVERYONE out” when that happened.
“I know lots of influencers who go to indoor parties w hundreds of people every weekend but y’all ain’t ready for that conversation—a lot of preparation went into this gathering to ensure the safety of everyone,” she wrote.
Conway followed up by saying that she is taking a break from social media for mental health reasons.
Conway is not the only influencer who has come under fire for partying during the pandemic. Fellow TikTok star Bryce Hall even had his power shut off by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and was facing criminal charges for repeatedly throwing house parties during the pandemic.