Leavitt Says Reporters Apologized for Unfair Questions

Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said reporters had privately apologized to her for asking questions they considered unfair, attributing some of those questions to pressure from editors and executives. She made the remarks in an interview on Sean Hannity’s podcast, where she also described White House briefings as performative. Leavitt did not name any of the reporters or news organizations involved. Her account has not been independently corroborated, and the reports of her comments do not include statements from the journalists she described. She said some reporters had told her after briefings that their bosses wanted them to ask particular questions, even when they believed the questions were unfair. Leavitt characterized journalists as having limited control over their work because, in her view, editorial leaders influence what they ask and write. Leavitt said the briefing room had a performative aspect on both sides, while arguing that it was especially evident among members of the press. Her description cast the exchanges as shaped partly by workplace expectations, rather than solely by the interaction between reporters and administration officials.