In a press briefing that felt more like a political showdown than a Q&A, Caroline Leavitt, President Trump’s press secretary, took center stage and showed the press corps exactly who was holding the microphone. Reporters came armed with questions they hoped would corner the administration, but Leavitt responded with a calm, calculated precision that turned every ambush into an opportunity to reinforce Trump’s message — and throw a few punches back.
From the moment she stepped behind the podium, it was clear Leavitt wasn’t there to play defense. She opened with a blistering dismissal of the wildest rumor circulating the halls of Washington: that Elon Musk somehow held presidential power. “Absolutely not. That’s a ridiculous question,” she scoffed, instantly shutting down speculation while pointing a finger at Democrats for fueling what she called “an utterly ridiculous” narrative.
Reporters weren’t ready to let go. They pressed on, citing calls from Democrats like Jamie Raskin for Musk’s impeachment. But Leavitt turned their framing against them, accusing the media and Democratic lawmakers of using Musk as a political pawn. “This is nothing more than a failed attempt from the media and Democrats to sow division in this White House,” she declared, reaffirming Musk’s role as a “servant at the pleasure of the president” and doubling down on the administration’s narrative of unity.
And unity was the theme Leavitt returned to again and again, even as questions veered into controversial territory. Asked whether President Trump would demand preconditions from President Putin before their planned visits, Leavitt gave little away. “Not that I’m aware of,” she said, careful not to stray beyond her talking points. When reporters prodded about Ukraine’s NATO membership and possible concessions, she politely sidestepped: “I haven’t talked to the president about Ukraine’s NATO membership… I don’t want to get ahead of him on it.”
In other words, Leavitt wasn’t about to let the press write the headline for her.
But the reporters weren’t giving up. They shifted tactics, asking why an Associated Press reporter was barred from the Oval Office. Here, Leavitt delivered perhaps her sharpest retort of the day. “It is a privilege to cover this White House,” she stated firmly. “Nobody has the right to go into the Oval Office and ask the president of the United States questions.” It was a reminder — pointed, maybe even provocative — that access isn’t a right, it’s an invitation.
The press corps accused the administration of retaliation over AP’s refusal to adopt the term “Gulf of America” in place of “Gulf of Mexico.” Leavitt’s response was part fact-check, part power play. “It is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America,” she asserted, noting the official designation had been updated and recognized by major platforms. “I’m not sure why news outlets don’t want to call it that, but that’s what it is.”
With each answer, Leavitt seemed to flip the narrative. A question about Mitch McConnell’s opposition to Trump’s nominees? She made it about Republican loyalty. “We’re greatly disappointed in any Republican who willfully votes against the president’s exceptionally qualified nominees,” she said, accusing Democrats of never breaking rank while Republicans risked fracturing unity.
The press tried again, raising concerns about Trump’s spending freeze hurting low-income families. Leavitt countered with a Trumpian solution: deregulation. “He signed a memorandum to deliver emergency price relief for American families,” she explained, framing cuts as liberation from costly regulations imposed by the Biden administration.
Perhaps most striking was Leavitt’s rebuke of Democratic lawmakers who called for resistance against Trump’s policies. Quoting members like Ilhan Omar and Chris Van Hollen, she accused them of inciting violence. “If you heard that type of violent, inciting rhetoric from our side of the aisle, from Republican leaders, I think there would be a lot more outrage in this room today,” she said, daring reporters to call out what she painted as hypocrisy.
And then came the kicker. Asked if Elon Musk could come to the briefing room to present evidence supporting his claims against DogeCoin fraud, Leavitt leaned in. “Sure, I would love for Elon Musk to come to the briefing room,” she said with a grin. “That’s why we had him go to the Oval Office yesterday.” She waved papers in hand. “We have contracts upon contracts… I actually brought some today because you all know I love to bring the receipts.”
In a political theater where every question is a trap and every answer a headline, Leavitt’s performance was a masterclass in control. She didn’t just dodge bullets — she turned them back toward the reporters. Whether you see her as a stonewalling mouthpiece or a media-savvy defender of the administration, one thing’s clear: in this battle of narratives, Leavitt wasn’t just answering questions. She was writing the script.
