In her first lecture on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt praised President Donald Trump‘s executive actions and criticized former president Joe Biden’s administration.
Lake, the youngest White House press secretary in the world’s history at 27, took some concerns without a binder full of notes to guide her answers, a striking departure from her Democratic president, Karine Jean-Pierre.
Following Biden’s carefully crafted presidency, the comfortable screen from the new political spokeswoman inaugurated a new era.
Leavitt was grilled by reporters in the jam-packed James S. Brady Press Briefing Room about a wide range of subjects, including immigration, federal money, and lowering groceries costs for the American family.
Here are the best insights from Tuesday’s hit briefing.
FULL LIST OF Professional Directions, ACTIONS, AND PROCLAMATIONS TRUMP HAS MADE AS PRESIDENT
Leavitt requested explanation regarding the federal money freeze.
The government’s surprise decision to wait federal give funding , upended most of Washington as legislators, nonprofit business executives, and express leaders sought quality on which programs the attempt applied to.
Leavitt was constantly asked to elaborate on how this would impact regular folks during the presentation.
” This is not a cover pause on federal support and grant programs from the Trump supervision”, Leavitt said. ” Personal support that includes — I’m not naming everything that’s included, but just to give you a few cases — Social Security benefits, Medicare benefits, food stamps, welfare gains, assistance that is going straight to people will not be impacted by this wait”.
Leavitt, however, claimed that in order to be able to raise Medicaid, she would need to contact the media to inquire about whether or not money may be halted.
Kind stated in a statement posted on social media following the press briefing that despite reports that sites in several states are experiencing interruptions, Medicaid obligations are still being processed and sent.
According to the media minister, Matthew Vaeth, the acting Office of Management and Budget Director, the memo was intended to identify crucial areas in which money can be cut.
” It means no more money for unlawful La programs”, Leavitt said. It means there is no more money for the Green New Scam, which has cost payers tens of billions of dollars. No more federal money for transgender equality and awokeness is expected, as a result.
Lake reiterated that immediate assistance would not be affected when asked about organizations like Meals on Wheels, which provide funding to people.
” OMB merely sent out a letter to Capitol Hill with Q&, A to understand some of the questions and answers that you are all asking me right then,” she said. ” Again, direct aid will not be impacted”.
At the White House, new advertising may be welcomed.
With a new management, obviously, come fresh advertising being welcomed into the White House.
Leavitt mentioned the growing influence of nontraditional advertising outlets and listeners during the 2024 plan time in the press briefing.
The press secretary claimed a new federal site has been created to allow these media characters to apply for media presentations because of their widespread appeal.
According to Lake,” We must discuss President Trump’s information everyday and adapt this White House to the new multimedia environment in 2025.” The White House “believes firmly in the First Amendment, which is why our staff will carefully restore the media passes of the 440 journalists whose passes were improperly revoked by the previous management.”
Lake also cited the increased exposure they will have to new media outlets like Politico and Breitbart News as an example of the increased exposure they will get. She added that the new media seat will be called the one in the front of the briefing room, which is typically occupied by the press secretary’s staff.
” We welcome independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers, and content creators to apply for credentials to cover this White House, and you can apply now on our new website, WhiteHouse. gov/newmedia”, Leavitt said.
Biden is held accountable by the Trump White House for rising egg prices.
Democrats have repeatedly criticized the president for skyrocketing egg prices as a result of Trump’s election as president because of the bird flu.
Leavitt used the opportunity to defend her boss from criticism in response to a question from the Washington Examiner.
” I would like to point out to each and every one of you that, in this country, egg prices increased by 65 % in 2024 when Joe Biden was in the Oval Office or upstairs in the residence sleeping,” Leavitt said.
” We also have seen the cost of everything, not just eggs, bacon, groceries, gasoline, have increased because of the inflationary policies of the last administration”, she continued. The Biden administration and the Department of Agriculture directed the mass killing of more than 100 million chickens, which has resulted in a lack of chicken supply in this country, and hence a lack of egg supply, which is also contributing to the shortage.
Farmers are slaughtering millions of chickens as a result of the rise in bird flu cases, which has increased egg prices. Eggs are reportedly twice as expensive as they were in the summer of 2023, according to the Associated Press.
Trump provides an explanation for a few random drones from New Jersey.
Leavitt read a statement from Trump regarding the sightings of enigmatic drones in New Jersey last year in her press briefing room.
” After research and study, the drones that were flying over New Jersey, in large numbers, were authorized to be flown by the FAA for research and various other reasons”, Trump’s statement reads. ” Many of these drones were also private pilots, hobbyists, and recreational pilots.” … In time, it got worse. Due to curiosity, this was not the enemy”.
Trump claimed in December 2024 that the Biden administration was incompetent regarding the numerous drone sightings.
” The government knows what is happening”, Trump said at the time. ” Look, our military knows where they took off from. They are aware of where it originated and went. And for some reason, they don’t want to comment, and I think they’d be better off saying what it is. Our military knows, and our president knows. And for some reason, they want to keep people in suspense”.
Leavitt touts Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration
At the beginning of her remarks to the press, Leavitt repeatedly touted Trump’s achievements, including signing an executive order declaring a national emergency at the southern border, an order to end catch-and-release immigration policies, and another order to finish construction of the border wall.
As Leavitt spoke, she was surrounded by two posters that depicted illegal immigrant mug shots.
Leavitt said,” President Trump has sent a loud and clear message to the entire world: America will no longer tolerate illegal immigration, and this president expects that every country on this planet will support the repatriation of their citizens.” ” Think again, foreigners who are considering trying to enter the United States illegally. Under this president, you will be detained and you will be deported every day”.
Leavitt was also questioned about the deportation of nonviolent migrants, for whom she had repeatedly argued illegal entry into the United States was a crime.
” If you are an individual, a foreign national, who illegally enters the United States of America, you are, by definition, a criminal, and so therefore you are subject to deportation”, she said.
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After more questioning, Leavitt gave more clarification on the priority for the U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
” Two things can be true at the same time”, she said. ” We want to deport illegal criminals, illegal immigrants from this country, but the president has said that, of course, the illegal criminal drug dealers, the rapists, the murderers, the individuals who have committed heinous acts on the interior of our country and who have terrorized law-abiding American citizens, absolutely, those should be the priority of ICE”.
