Kneeling on a sofa, in heels, while snapping photos puts Kellyanne Conway back in hot water

Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway takes a picture of US President Donald Trump with members of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Photo / Getty Images

Scandal, or sideshow? President Trump's personal adviser Kellyanne Conway is back in the headlines ... for digging her heels into a White House sofa.

US political commentators erupted as the pictures flashed around the world.

President Trump was staging an Oval Office photo-op for dignitaries from US black colleges and universities.

Conway accidentally photobombed the show.

President Donald Trump meets with leaders of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the Oval Office. Counsellor to the President Kellyanne Conway is on the couch. Photo / AP

She was caught kneeling - in heels - on one of the new gold-laced sofas brought into the Oval Office in Trump's personal makeover.

She was snapping shots on her phone before settling back to examine her handiwork.

Little did she realise she was putting herself in the line of fire of official White House photographers.

Once again, Conway has become the headline.

Kellyanne Conway checks her phone after taking a photo of President Donald Trump and leaders of black universities, colleges in Oval Office pic.twitter.com/MgVhCoJFuC

— AFP news agency (@AFP) February 28, 2017

The Telegraph leapt to the fore, demanding the senior US government official 'show some class'.

Others agreed, expressing outrage at the thought of sharp heels digging into such expensive furniture.

So among the other many unfilled positions in the Trump White House, they also haven’t yet found an official photographer? https://t.co/tVBC2qQty0

— David Frum (@davidfrum) February 28, 2017

Others simply saw it as yet another opportunity for a politically pointed quip.

But social media reaction wasn't all one way.

Many left to Conway's defence, saying the comments were 'vile' and 'sexist'.

Others called it the 'downfall' of 'real news'.

While media obsesses over Kellyanne Conway on the sofa in a dress, this is happening. CHECK YOUR PRIORITIES —> https://t.co/aYAb3iiFf7

— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) February 28, 2017

Either way, Conway has a job once again to get President Trump's message back on track.

The embattled adviser has been sitting on the sideline in recent weeks after sparking controversy for referring to a fake 'Bowling Green Massacre' story in defence of President Trump's travel ban. Then she openly promoted Ivanka Trump's fashion brand - something considered to be a serious breach of ethics among public service circles.