White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt lets loose on podcast, calls reporters with expletives in blunt takedown of the press

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt didn’t hold back in a recent podcast appearance, calling some reporters with expletives and ridiculing media inquiries.

Her comments, made on the conservative Ruthless podcast, have ignited fresh debate over the administration’s approach to the press.

While officials later downplayed the remarks, the incident highlights the administration's ongoing feud with traditional media, as well as its support for conservative outlets and alternative voices.

What did Karoline Leavitt say about reporters?

In a recent interview, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt seemed to disparage reporters and investigations that referenced “experts,” ridiculed certain “liberal” reporters in an outburst of profanity, as per a report by The Independent.

Leavitt discussed how she and White House communications director Steven Cheung handle journalist email requests during an appearance on the Ruthless podcast.

She declared that it's her favourite thing to ask for the names when she receives a mail with ethical experts citings. She googles those names only to find that they are some George Soros-funded Democratic donors.

"These experts, " as if we copied and pasted their Wikipedia. This story isn't true. These aren't true tales,” she stated as per a report by The Independent.

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References to unnamed experts were "the tell of any liberal reporter," Leavitt continued. When podcast host Josh Holmes referred to such questions as employing "weasel words," she nodded in agreement and laughed.

Later, White House officials played down the hostility, claiming the remark was made on a humorous podcast.

How is the White House changing press access?

Karoline Leavitt pledged to welcome less conventional "voices" in her first White House briefing, mentioning that a designated front-row seat would be dubbed the "new media" seat.

"We encourage independent journalists, podcasters, content producers, and social media influencers to apply for credentials to cover this White House," she stated.

Since then, she has accepted reporters from unconventional media, such as the far-right news website Brietbart, the Ruthless podcast, and The Daily Wire, a network founded by conservative pundit Ben Shapiro.

Her seeming contempt is reminiscent of Elon Musk's and President Donald Trump's vilification of the so-called "legacy media."

FAQs

Why did Karoline Leavitt refer to some reporters with an outburst of profanity?
Leavitt chastised journalists who use unnamed "experts" in their investigations, claiming they are frequently politically biased. She mocked the practice on a conservative podcast, claiming that she and her team investigate these sources and object when they discover partisan connections.

How has the White House altered press access?
Leavitt has prioritized conservative and nontraditional media, inviting podcasters, influencers, and independent journalists to briefings. These voices will have a new front-row "new media" seat, signaling a shift away from the dominance of the mainstream press.