Tipsheet

Karoline Leavitt Sure Let the AP Have It

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  March 12, 2025 5:45 PM

During Tuesday's briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had quite the memorable exchange with a reporter from the Associated Press, reminding us why it may be for the best that the outlet doesn't quite have the "unfettered" access it once did. 

The reporter began by asking about President Donald Trump's campaign promise to do with tax cuts, before insisting that the president was bringing about "tax hikes," because of his commitment to tariffs. Even as Leavitt cut the reporter off to remind that this framing was "not true," and Trump is "not doing that," he still insisted on continuing with his point. "I'm curious... why he's prioritizing that over the tax cuts," he added, finally allowing Leavitt to give more of a response.

"He's actually not implementing tax hikes," Leavitt explained. "Tariffs are a tax hike on foreign countries that again have been ripping us off. Tariffs are a tax cut for the American people, and the president is a staunch advocate of tax cuts. As you know, he campaigned on no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime, no taxes on social security benefits, he is committed to all three of those things, and he expects Congress to pass them later this year."

The reporter still sought follow-up, though, even going with an "I'm sorry," though he turned out to be quite rude towards the press secretary. "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," he continued, gesturing for emphasis during the back and forth with Leavitt. He still continued even as she tried to further respond.

When she was able to get a word in edgewise, Leavitt spoke to the concerns to do with these countries facing tariffs and trade. 

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"And ultimately, when we have fair and balanced trade, which the American people have not seen in decades... revenues will stay here, wages will go up, our country will be made wealthy again," she answered, going on to really let the condescending reporter have it. "And I think that it's insulting that you're trying to test my knowledge of economics and the--the decisions that this president has made. I now regret giving a question to the Associated Press," she made clear, before moving on to taking a question from another reporter. 

It would appear that the AP has not gotten over this sense of entitlement as one of the outlets used to getting the star treatment in the briefing room, though the question asked on Tuesday appeared to come off as more of a dig at the president and his plans for tariffs. After Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, the outlet refused to go along, despite how they've changed terms plenty of times before in recent years. 

Last month, the Trump White House, in a statement about the AP's refusal to go along with the name change and "their privilege of unfettered access to limited spaces, like the Oval Office and Air Force One," revealed changes about such access. "Going forward, that space will now be opened up to the many thousands of reporters who have been barred from covering these intimate areas of the administration. Associated Press journalists and photographers will retain their credentials to the White House complex," the statement from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich revealed.

The AP sued not long after, facing a loss in court.