Throughout her time behind the White Home podium, departing Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has gained a repute for her sharp retorts to reporters, an echo of President Donald Trump’s contentious relationship with the press.
Leavitt will step down from her position on the White Home on the finish of the month to spend extra time together with her household, Trump introduced on Wednesday—”a choice,” he mentioned in a Fact Social put up, “I completely perceive and respect!” He added that she “will now be considered one of my high exterior advisors, and an influential voice inside the Republican Get together.”
In her personal social media put up on Wednesday, Leavitt referred to as the White Home Press Secretary position “the dignity and journey of a lifetime” and went on to thank the President.
“Most of all, I’m grateful to the President for entrusting me with the distinct privilege of talking on his behalf on the White Home podium,” she mentioned. “I’ve relished holding the liberal media accountable and guaranteeing the American individuals hear the reality about President Trump’s successes.”
Listed below are among the most notable moments of Leavitt going head-to-head with the press within the yr and a half she has served in her position.
When she mentioned she regretted giving a query to The Related Press
Throughout a press briefing in March 2025, Leavitt had a heated trade with Josh Boak, a reporter at The Related Press, after he requested why Trump was prioritizing “tax hikes within the type of tariffs” relatively than the tax cuts he vowed to enact whereas he was campaigning in the course of the 2024 election.
“He’s truly not implementing tax hikes. Tariffs are a tax hike on international nations that, once more, have been ripping us off,” Leavitt replied. “Tariffs are a tax lower for the American individuals, and the President is a staunch advocate of tax cuts.”
Boak pushed again by saying: “I’m sorry, have you ever ever paid a tariff? As a result of I’ve. They don’t get charged on international firms; they get charged on the importers.”
Leavitt responded by arguing that tariffs could be useful for People, earlier than including that Boak was being “insulting.”
“I feel it’s insulting that you just’re making an attempt to check my data of economics, and the choice that this President has made,” she mentioned. “I now remorse giving a query to The Related Press.”
When she mentioned a reporter requested a “silly query”
At a White Home press briefing in June 2025, NOTUS reporter Jasmine Wright requested Leavitt to “make clear what sort of protest President Trump does help or discover acceptable.” The query got here after Trump had issued a warning to potential protesters forward of the upcoming navy parade within the nation’s capital: “For these folks that need to protest, they’re going to be met with very huge pressure.”
Leavitt mentioned that Trump “completely helps peaceable protests. He helps the First Modification,” however added that “he doesn’t help violence of any variety.”
Wright then requested whether or not the President would enable peaceable protests the day of the navy parade within the nation’s capital. Leavitt shot again: “After all the President helps peaceable protests. What a silly query.”
When she abruptly ended a press briefing after a query concerning the Commerce Secretary’s Epstein ties
In February, Leavitt abruptly ended a White Home press briefing after a reporter requested whether or not the White Home supported Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The query got here after Lutnick mentioned earlier that very same day in entrance of a Senate panel that he had visited the non-public island of the late convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2012—although he had beforehand claimed to have ended his relationship with Epstein years earlier than.
Leavitt responded by saying that the Commerce Secretary is “an important member of President Trump’s workforce” and that Trump “absolutely helps” him. She then slammed the journalists within the room for his or her questions.
“I’ll simply level out that there are a number of wins within the information this week that folks on this room haven’t requested about since you proceed to ask questions on the identical topic so let me level them out for you,” Leavitt mentioned, earlier than she started studying off different information that the Trump Administration was celebrating as victories, together with current inventory market outcomes.
“So,” she mentioned when she completed, “we’re going to get again to enterprise. The President may be very busy right now and you will notice him all tomorrow on the occasion within the East Room touting his Administration’s power coverage.” She then walked off the stage.
When she accused a journalist of being a “leftwing activist”
Throughout a press briefing in January—only a week after Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by a federal immigration agent—The Hill columnist Niall Stanage requested Leavitt a query about ICE’s techniques. He cited then-Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem’s declare that ICE officers are “doing every little thing appropriately.” He went on to checklist statistics that 32 individuals died whereas in ICE custody in 2025 and greater than 170 People have been detained by the company final yr, earlier than referencing Good’s demise.
“How does that equate to them doing every little thing appropriately?” he requested Leavitt.
Leavitt replied: “Why was Renee Good sadly and tragically killed?”
When Stanage clarified whether or not she was asking him for his opinion, she replied within the affirmative.
“As a result of an ICE agent acted recklessly and killed her unjustifiably,” he mentioned.
“Okay, so that you’re a biased reporter with a leftwing opinion,” Leavitt mentioned. “Since you’re a leftwing hack. You’re not a reporter, you’re posing on this room as a journalist. And it’s so clear by the premise of your query. And also you and the individuals of the media who’ve such biases however pretend such as you’re a journalist—you shouldn’t even be sitting in that seat.”
“You’re pretending such as you’re a journalist, however you’re a leftwing activist,” she continued. “The query that you just simply raised and your reply proves you’re biased. You ought to be reporting on the info.”
When she advised a journalist “You’re a reporter—it’s best to discover out” in response to a question
In March 2025, CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins requested Leavitt whether or not there was any proof to help Trump’s declare that among the pardons issued by former President Joe Biden have been signed by an autopen with out his data. In response, Leavitt mentioned: “You’re a reporter—it’s best to discover out.”
The second was considered one of a number of heated exchanges Leavitt and Collins have had since Trump took workplace for a second time period. Additionally in March 2025, Leavitt refused to take a follow-up query from Collins, saying twice: “Kaitlan, I’m not taking your follow-up.”
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