Karoline Leavitt Confronts the Press For an Audience of One

During the first White House press briefing from the new misadministration, 27-year-old Karoline Leavitt followed the previous habits of Trump press secretaries, performing for an audience of one.

During her theatrical debut on Tuesday, the youngest White House Press Secretary (period) channeled The Boss, by promoting his executive actions, exaggerating their benefit, and demeaning Joe Biden.

In 2017, the NYT reported on the Trump communication strategy: “Trump told top aides to think of each presidential day as an episode in a television show in which he vanquishes rivals.” In 2024, this still tracks.

Trump Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt promises to tell the truth during briefings 🙃

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-01-28T18:21:56.375Z

Leavitt: This administration believes that birthright citizenship is unconstitutional

Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) 2025-01-28T19:56:27.961Z

Russ Vought, the private citizen who has not even been confirmed as OMB head?

Kevin M. Kruse (@kevinmkruse.bsky.social) 2025-01-28T19:29:40.275Z

"Her job is no longer to explain why her boss should be president. It is to explain what precisely is happening now that he is."And she completely failed at that. She didn't know about the Medicaid mess. She told federal agencies to call Russ Vought — not even confirmed yet — to get their money.

Kevin M. Kruse (@kevinmkruse.bsky.social) 2025-01-29T12:55:42.549Z

REPORTER: Egg prices have skyrocketed since President Trump took office. So what specifically is he doing to lower those costs?LEAVITT: When Joe Biden was in the Oval Office or upstairs sleeping — I'm not so sure — egg prices increased 65 percent

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-01-28T18:54:59.903Z

Leavitt: "The water has been turned back on in California, and this comes just days after President Trump visited"

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-01-28T18:50:27.882Z

Karoline Leavitt: "DOGE and OMB also found that there was about to be 50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza. That is a preposterous waste of taxpayer dollars."

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-01-28T18:27:06.465Z

You get the idea. Also included were some new protocols and warnings to her subjects in the White House press pool.

Leavitt announced the misadministration would open the briefing room to “new media” voices, including social media influencers and independent journalists. She encouraged podcasters, influencers and other online content creators to apply for a chance to attend a briefing and be blessed to ask a question.

But the call to new media was not without a disclaimer, as she noted legacy media outlets have pushed “lies” about Trump and his family and “we will call you out when we feel that your reporting is wrong.”

CNN, The Guardian