--- title: Karoline Leavitt’s Most Memorable Moments as White House Press Secretary description: During her time behind the White House podium, the departing Press Secretary has gained a reputation for her sharp retorts to reporters. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/08/12/karoline-leavitt-white-house-press-secretary-memorable-moments/ author: Chantelle Lee article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-08-12T23:00:53.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-13T20:40:33.483Z article:section: Politics og:title: Karoline Leavitt’s Most Memorable Moments as White House Press Secretary og:description: During her time behind the White House podium, the departing Press Secretary has gained a reputation for her sharp retorts to reporters. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/08/12/karoline-leavitt-white-house-press-secretary-memorable-moments/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc05321b432f6b74e/6a7cf85e3c19f03eaa2391dd/Leavitt-Moments-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Leavitt-Moments-2.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Karoline Leavitt’s Most Memorable Moments as White House Press Secretary twitter:description: During her time behind the White House podium, the departing Press Secretary has gained a reputation for her sharp retorts to reporters. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc05321b432f6b74e/6a7cf85e3c19f03eaa2391dd/Leavitt-Moments-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Karoline Leavitt’s Most Memorable Moments as White House Press Secretary > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: Karoline Leavitt’s Most Memorable Moments as White House Press Secretary [Watch (HLS stream): Karoline Leavitt’s Most Memorable Moments as White House Press Secretary](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/08efQArt.m3u8) (1:35)  _Published 2026-08-13. During her time behind the White House podium, the departing Press Secretary has gained a reputation for her sharp retorts to reporters._ by [Chantelle Lee](https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Aug 12, 2026 11:00 PM UTC by [Chantelle Lee](https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Aug 12, 2026 11:00 PM UTC During her time behind the White House podium, departing Press Secretary [Karoline Leavitt](https://time.com/collections/time100-next-2025/7318825/karoline-leavitt/) has gained a reputation for her sharp retorts to reporters, an echo of President Donald Trump’s [contentious relationship](https://time.com/article/2026/07/24/trump-white-house-correspondents-dinner-speech/) with the [press](https://time.com/7337058/trump-female-journalist-attacks-new-york-times-katie-rogers/). Leavitt will [step down from her role](https://time.com/article/2026/08/12/Karoline-Leavitt-to-step-down-white-house-press-secretary-Donald-Trump/) at the White House at the end of the month to spend more time with her family, Trump announced on Wednesday—”a decision,” he said in a [Truth Social post](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117084211457388624), “I totally understand and respect!” He added that she “will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party.” In her own [social media post](https://x.com/karolineleavitt/status/2087625708554100999) on Wednesday, Leavitt called the White House Press Secretary role “the honor and adventure of a lifetime” and went on to thank the President. “Most of all, I am thankful to the President for entrusting me with the distinct privilege of speaking on his behalf at the White House podium,” she said. “I have relished holding the liberal media accountable and ensuring the American people hear the truth about President Trump’s successes.” **Read More:** [_Karoline Leavitt to Step Down as White House Press Secretary_](https://time.com/article/2026/08/12/Karoline-Leavitt-to-step-down-white-house-press-secretary-Donald-Trump/) Here are some of the most notable moments of Leavitt going head-to-head with the press in the year and a half she has served in her role. ## When she said she regretted giving a question to The Associated Press During a press briefing in March 2025, Leavitt had a [heated exchange](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5188744-ap-reporter-white-house-tariffs/) with Josh Boak, a reporter at The Associated Press, after he asked why Trump was prioritizing “tax hikes in the form of tariffs” rather than the tax cuts he vowed to enact while he was campaigning during the 2024 election. “He’s actually not implementing tax hikes. Tariffs are a tax hike on foreign countries that, again, have been ripping us off,” Leavitt replied. “Tariffs are a tax cut for the American people, and the President is a staunch advocate of tax cuts.” Boak pushed back by saying: “I’m sorry, have you ever paid a tariff? Because I have. They don’t get charged on foreign companies; they get charged on the importers.” Leavitt responded by arguing that tariffs would be beneficial for Americans, before adding that Boak was being “insulting.” “I think it’s insulting that you’re trying to test my knowledge of economics, and the decision that this President has made,” she said. “I now regret giving a question to The Associated Press.” ## When she said a reporter asked a “stupid question” At a White House press briefing in June 2025, NOTUS reporter Jasmine Wright [asked](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFShjJEqsPQ) Leavitt to “clarify what kind of protest President Trump does support or find acceptable.” The question came after Trump had [issued a warning](https://time.com/7293028/no-kings-day-protests-trump-parade/) to potential protesters ahead of the upcoming military parade in the nation’s capital: “For those people that want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force.” Leavitt said that Trump “absolutely supports peaceful protests. He supports the First Amendment,” but added that “he does not support violence of any kind.” Wright then asked whether the President would allow peaceful protests the day of the military parade in the nation’s capital. Leavitt shot back: “Of course the President supports peaceful protests. What a stupid question.” ## When she abruptly ended a press briefing after a question about the Commerce Secretary’s Epstein ties In February, Leavitt [abruptly ended](https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/karoline-leavitt-reporter-lutnick-epstein-island-b2917783.html) a White House press briefing after a reporter asked whether the White House supported Commerce Secretary [Howard Lutnick](https://time.com/collections/100-most-influential-people-2025/7273801/howard-lutnick/). The question came after Lutnick [said](https://time.com/7377466/epstein-files-secretary-howard-lutnick-island-visit/) earlier that same day in front of a Senate panel that he had visited the private island of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2012—despite the fact that he had previously claimed to have ended his relationship with Epstein years before. **Read More:** [_Bipartisan Lawmakers Call for Trump’s Commerce Secretary to Step Down—or Be Ousted—Over Epstein Ties_](https://time.com/7373253/epstein-files-secretary-howard-lutnick-calls-to-resign/) Leavitt responded by saying that the Commerce Secretary is “a very important member of President Trump’s team” and that Trump “fully supports” him. She then slammed the journalists in the room for their questions. “I will just point out that there are a lot of wins in the news this week that people in this room have not asked about because you continue to ask questions about the same subject so let me point them out for you,” Leavitt said, before she began reading off other news that the Trump Administration was celebrating as victories, including recent stock market results. “So,” she said when she finished, “we’re going to get back to business. The President is very busy today and you will see him all tomorrow at the event in the East Room touting his Administration’s energy policy.” She then walked off the stage. ## When she accused a journalist of being a “leftwing activist” During a press briefing in January—just a week after Renee Nicole Good was [shot and killed](https://time.com/7344506/minneapolis-ice-shooting-mayor/) by a federal immigration agent—The Hill columnist Niall Stanage [asked](https://www.facebook.com/HuffPost/videos/karoline-leavitt-had-a-meltdown-after-a-reporter-cited-official-ice-statistics-d/4430875730482294/) Leavitt a question about ICE’s tactics. He cited then-Homeland Security Secretary [Kristi Noem](https://time.com/7382719/kristi-noem-removed-homeland-security-secretary-markwayne-mullin/)’s claim that ICE officers are [“doing everything correctly.”](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kristi-noem-ice-agents-violate-4th-amendment%5Fn%5F6967f34de4b0da4905d33f75) He went on to list statistics that 32 people [died](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/jan/04/ice-2025-deaths-timeline) while in ICE custody in 2025 and more than 170 Americans were [detained](https://www.propublica.org/article/immigration-dhs-american-citizens-arrested-detained-against-will) by the agency last year, before referencing Good’s death. “How does that equate to them doing everything correctly?” he asked Leavitt. Leavitt replied: “Why was Renee Good unfortunately and tragically killed?” When Stanage clarified whether she was asking him for his opinion, she replied in the affirmative. “Because an ICE agent acted recklessly and killed her unjustifiably,” he said. “Okay, so you’re a biased reporter with a leftwing opinion,” Leavitt said. “Because you’re a leftwing hack. You’re not a reporter, you’re posing in this room as a journalist. And it’s so clear by the premise of your question. And you and the people of the media who have such biases but fake like you’re a journalist—you shouldn’t even be sitting in that seat.” “You’re pretending like you’re a journalist, but you’re a leftwing activist,” she continued. “The question that you just raised and your answer proves you’re biased. You should be reporting on the facts.” ## When she told a journalist “You’re a reporter—you should find out” in response to a query In March 2025, CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins [asked](https://13wham.com/news/nation-world/youre-a-reporter-you-should-find-out-leavitt-sets-journalist-straight-at-briefing-white-house-press-secretary-karoline-leavitt-president-donald-trump-politics-sleepy-joe-biden-autopen-pardons-signature-truth-social) Leavitt whether there was any evidence to support Trump’s [claim](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114175908922736427) that some of the pardons issued by former President Joe Biden were signed by an [autopen](https://time.com/7302605/trump-biden-autopen/) without his knowledge. In response, Leavitt said: “You’re a reporter—you should find out.” The moment was one of several heated exchanges Leavitt and Collins have had since Trump took office for a second term. Also in March 2025, Leavitt refused to take a follow-up question from Collins, saying twice: “Kaitlan, I’m not taking your follow-up.” ## Transcript So if there were peaceful protests on Saturday for the military parade, President Trump would allow that. Of course, the president supports peaceful protests. What a stupid question. Have you ever paid a tariff? Because I have. They don't get charged on foreign companies. They get charged on the importers. And ultimately, when we have fair and balanced trade, which the American people have not seen in decades, as I said at the beginning, revenues will stay here, wages will go up and our country will be made wealthy again. And I think it's insulting that you are trying to test my knowledge of economics. I'm now regret giving a question to The Associated Press. Why was Renee good, unfortunately, and tragically killed? Are you asking me my opinion? Because an Ice agent acted recklessly and killed it unjustifiably? Oh, okay. So you're a biased reporter with a left wing opinion. What do you want me to do? Yeah, because you're a left wing hack. You're not a reporter. You're posing in this room as a journalist. And it's so clear by the premise of your question. And you and the people in the media who have such biases, but fake, like you're a journalist, you shouldn't even be sitting in that seat. But was he aware of of his signature being used on every single pardon? That's a question you should ask the Biden White House. Any evidence on that that he wasn't aware of it. You're a reporter. You should find out. Sean, has there been any shift in how the white House is viewing secretary performance? No. Secretary Lutnick remains a very important member of President Trump's team, and the president fully supports the secretary. I will just point out that there are a lot of wins in the news this week that people in this room have not asked about, because you continue to ask questions about the same subject. So let me point them out for you. 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