WASHINGTON—In a splashy Tuesday morning scoop, Punchbowl News revealed that Amazon would start displaying how much an item&#8217;s cost had derived from tariffs next to the product&#8217;s total listed price. By noon, Jeff Bezos had backed down.
In the hours in between, Bezos received a private blasting from President Donald Trump, which happened to come just after he took a very public one from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Leavitt took her briefing room podium ready for the question: she had an article printed out that showed Bezos beneath the headline &#8220;Amazon partnered with China propaganda arm.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;ll take this question since I just got off the phone with the president about Amazon&#8217;s announcement,&#8221; Leavitt said from the podium. &#8220;This was a hostile and political act by Amazon. Why didn&#8217;t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?&#8221;
She added, &#8220;It&#8217;s not a surprise, because, as Reuters recently wrote, Amazon has partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm.&#8221;
A source familiar with the day&#8217;s events told The Daily Wire that as Leavitt was publicly laying into Bezos, Trump, who watches all of the White House press briefings, was privately calling him and bringing the hammer down.
It was a two-pronged approach that highlights the role Leavitt plays in the White House: not just the president&#8217;s spokeswoman, but his secret weapon in high-stakes fights. “Karoline and POTUS are a one-two punch,&#8221; a source familiar with how the day unfolded shared with The Daily Wire.
<div id="attachment_913727" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/one-two-punch-karoline-leavitt-emerges-as-trumps-secret-weapon-in-amazon-win/us-politics-leavitt-briefing-16" rel="attachment wp-att-913727"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-913727" class="wp-image-913727 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2212028426-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2212028426-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2212028426-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2212028426-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2212028426.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent take questions from reporters on April 29, 2025.  (Photo by STAFF/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
The president was made aware of the story on Tuesday morning before Leavitt strode into the briefing at 8:30 a.m., flanked by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, to discuss how the Trump administration is &#8220;unleashing economic greatness.&#8221;
Leavitt used the news of Amazon&#8217;s slight to push that economic message, but also to lay into Bezos and his company.
&#8220;So this is another reason why Americans should buy American. It&#8217;s another reason why we are on-shoring critical supply chains here at home to shore up our own critical supply chain, and boost our own manufacturing here,&#8221; Leavitt said.
Pressed on whether Bezos is &#8220;still a Trump supporter,&#8221; she responded: &#8220;Look, I will not speak to the president&#8217;s relationship with Jeff Bezos but I will tell you that this was certainly a hostile and political action by Amazon.&#8221;
The incident prompted a slew of headlines and social media posts highlighting Leavitt&#8217;s characterization of Amazon as &#8220;hostile.&#8221;
Punchbowl broke the Amazon news in a Tuesday morning story literally sponsored by the company (Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this point).
&#8220;Amazon doesn’t want to shoulder the blame for the cost of President Donald Trump’s trade war,&#8221; reported the publication. &#8220;So the e-commerce giant will soon show how much Trump’s tariffs are adding to the price of each product.&#8221;
Amid the buzz, and shortly after the briefing ended, Walmart announced a new &#8220;Grow With Us&#8221; initiative (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/29/walmart-products-made-america-small-business-program">announced exclusively with Axios</a>) focused on &#8220;expanding support for American-made products&#8221; and &#8220;providing small businesses with new tools and paths for success.&#8221;
&#8220;With Grow with US and the upcoming 2025 Open Call, Walmart is making it easier for U.S.-based entrepreneurs to navigate the complexities of retail and bring their products to a national stage,&#8221; Walmart said in a Tuesday release.
Leavitt quickly celebrated the move by Amazon&#8217;s competitor, calling it the &#8220;Trump effect.&#8221;
And by 11:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Amazon was refuting the report it had exclusively shared with Punchbowl in its sponsored story.
“The team that runs our ultra-low-cost Amazon Haul store considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products,&#8221; Amazon spokesperson Tim Doyle said, adding: &#8220;This was never approved and is not going to happen.”
Trump himself addressed the matter as he headed to Michigan to rally in honor of the first 100 days of his second term.
&#8220;Jeff Bezos was very nice,&#8221; the president told reporters outside the White House. &#8220;He was terrific. He solved the problem very quickly and he did the right thing. He&#8217;s a good guy.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-LEAVITT-BRIEFING

‘One-Two Punch’: Karoline Leavitt Was Trump’s Secret Weapon In Amazon Win

Amazon

Donald Trump

Karoline Leavitt

White House

Amazon denied on Tuesday that it was planning to show the cost that tariffs would add to the price of products on its website, pushing back on a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hostile-white-house-sounds-off-after-amazon-says-it-will-display-tariff-costs-for-consumers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from Punchbowl News after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blasted the Seattle-based company.
Leavitt ripped Amazon for taking a &#8220;hostile and political&#8221; action, adding, “Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?” After backlash from the White House, the company said that it &#8220;never&#8221; considered showing tariff costs on &#8220;the main Amazon site.&#8221;
An Amazon spokesman said on Tuesday morning that the plan was only discussed for the &#8220;ultra low cost Amazon Haul store,&#8221; which &#8220;considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products,&#8221; ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/trump-admin-live-updates-border-czar-brief-securing/?id=121230740&amp;entryId=121277073" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The spokesman added, &#8220;Teams discuss ideas all the time. This was never a consideration for the main Amazon site and nothing has been implemented on any Amazon properties.&#8221;
Asked about the Punchbowl report during a press briefing on Tuesday morning, Leavitt said that she had just spoken to President Donald Trump about the issue. Leavitt also pointed to a 2021 Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/amazon-partnered-with-china-propaganda-arm-win-beijings-favor-document-shows-2021-12-17/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> about the tech and e-commerce giant partnering with a Chinese propaganda arm and complying with some of communist China’s wishes for the website. More than 70% of Amazon&#8217;s products are sourced in China and subject to Trump’s 145% tariff on the country.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has not commented on the Punchbowl report. Bezos has cozied up to Trump since the 2024 election, joining Trump for dinner at Mar-a-Lago after the election and attending Trump&#8217;s inauguration after Amazon donated $1 million to the inaugural fund.

Amazon Denies That It Considered Listing Tariff Costs On ‘Main’ Site After Trump Backlash

Business

Economy

Jeff Bezos

Tariffs

Trump Administration

Amazon will begin displaying the cost that President Donald Trump&#8217;s tariffs are adding to the price of products, according to Punchbowl News, irking the Trump administration, which on Tuesday described Amazon&#8217;s move as &#8220;hostile and political.&#8221;
Punchbowl News <a href="https://punchbowl.news/article/tech/amazon-display-tariff-costs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the massive e-commerce company will show the cost that tariffs add to each product next to the total price. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://x.com/PhilipWegmann/status/1917201780687135018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blasted</a> Amazon during a press briefing on Tuesday morning, saying she &#8220;just got off the phone with the president,&#8221; who discussed Amazon&#8217;s decision.
&#8220;This is a hostile and political act by Amazon,&#8221; Leavitt said. &#8220;Why didn&#8217;t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?&#8221;
Amazon denied that it was planning to show the cost of tariffs next to products shortly after Leavitt&#8217;s comments. An Amazon spokesman said that the plan was only discussed for the “ultra low cost Amazon Haul store,” which “considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products,” ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/trump-admin-live-updates-border-czar-brief-securing/?id=121230740&amp;entryId=121277073" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The spokesman added, “Teams discuss ideas all the time. This was never a consideration for the main Amazon site and nothing has been implemented on any Amazon properties.”
Leavitt said that Amazon&#8217;s reported decision is &#8220;not a surprise,&#8221; pointing to a 2021 Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/amazon-partnered-with-china-propaganda-arm-win-beijings-favor-document-shows-2021-12-17/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> about the tech and e-commerce giant partnering with a Chinese propaganda arm and complying with some of communist China&#8217;s wishes for the website.
&#8220;This is another reason why Americans should buy American. It&#8217;s another reason why we are onshoring critical supply chains here at home to shore up our own critical supply chain and boost our own manufacturing,&#8221; Leavitt said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> reacts to Amazon&#39;s announcement on tariffs: &quot;This is a hostile and political act by Amazon&#8230; It&#39;s not a surprise because, as Reuters recently wrote, Amazon has partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm&#8230; This is another reason Americans should buy American.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/jtXZYfR8rH">pic.twitter.com/jtXZYfR8rH</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1917203919521882362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Some economists express concerns that the president&#8217;s tariffs on China will mostly hurt American consumers. More than <a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/33376/share-of-items-sold-on-amazon-by-country-of-origin/#:~:text=More%20than%2070%20percent%20of,above%20the%20100%20percent%20mark." target="_blank" rel="noopener">70%</a> of Amazon&#8217;s products are sourced in China and subject to Trump&#8217;s 145% tariff on the country. The president hinted at an end to the escalating trade war with China soon, saying last week that the tariff on China &#8220;will come down substantially, but it won’t be zero.&#8221; China has retaliated with a 125% tariff on American goods.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has grown warmer toward Trump in recent months. After Trump&#8217;s election victory, Bezos dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, and Amazon donated $1 million to the president&#8217;s inauguration. Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post, has also been hit by the Left for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wapo-opinion-editor-quits-after-jeff-bezos-announces-significant-shift-in-opinion-section" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dialing back</a> the newspaper&#8217;s opinion section and reportedly urging the Post to hire more conservative columnists.
This article has been updated with additional information.

White House Press Briefing

‘Hostile’: White House Sounds Off On Amazon Reportedly Displaying Tariff Costs For Consumers

China

Trade War

On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said it&#8217;s &#8220;about time&#8221; that the legacy media admitted to being part of &#8220;one of the greatest cover-ups&#8221; due to their reluctance to report on President Joe Biden&#8217;s mental acuity.
The Daily Wire&#8217;s Mary Margaret Olohan asked Leavitt for a response to Axios reporter Alex Thompson, who criticized how journalists dealt with the last administration, as Thompson <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql6nYEgVjjo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received</a> the Aldo Beckman Award for Overall Excellence at the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner for his <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/07/22/biden-kamala-harris-election-chances" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reporting</a> on Biden&#8217;s declining cognitive state.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;Can you comment on&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexThomp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlexThomp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/axios?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@axios</a> &#8220;remarks &amp; whether you agree with that assessment&#8221;
White House press sec. Karoline Leavitt: &#8220;I do agree with that assessment from Alex Thompson&#8221; at WHCA dinner. &#8220;Millions of Americans watched our mentally incompetent president struggle &#8230;&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/117g944k7w">pic.twitter.com/117g944k7w</a>
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1916844994339405836?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“Alex Thompson said at the White House Correspondents Dinner. And I&#8217;m going to read his quote, ‘President Biden’s decline and its cover-up by the people around him is a reminder that every White House, regardless of the party, is capable of deception. We, myself included, missed a lot of this story, and some people trust us less because of it.’ Can you comment on those remarks and whether you agree with that assessment?” Olohan asked.
&#8220;I do agree with that assessment from Alex Thompson, who I understand won an award for writing a story months and perhaps years after the American people already knew that story to be true. Millions of Americans watched our mentally incompetent president struggle with his day-to-day duties of this office,&#8221; Leavitt replied. &#8220;We watched our country be ran into the ground as a result, and nobody in the media wanted to write about that [or] talk about it. There were many, many reporters, I will say, right-leaning reporters who did talk about that, who didn&#8217;t get awards, didn&#8217;t get coverage.&#8221;
She continued: &#8220;In fact, they were lambasted for their coverage and I remember being on President Trump&#8217;s campaign talking about Joe Biden&#8217;s clear mental incompetence and being accused by people in this room of manufacturing deepfake videos, trying to persuade the public into not believing what they saw with their own eyes for many years and I think it&#8217;s about time the legacy media finally admits that was one of the greatest cover ups and scandals that ever took place in American history and certainly it did contribute to the decline in the trust that Americans have for the legacy media&#8230;which, by the way, is why we&#8217;ve made many changes to this briefing room in this White House. It&#8217;s long overdue.&#8221;
Since President Donald Trump began his second term, the White House has made several changes in the press room, including making space for &#8220;new media” journalists and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-will-decide-which-reporters-get-briefing-room-seats-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taking control</a> of the seating chart.

Former President Joe Biden

‘One Of The Greatest Cover-Ups’: Leavitt Rips Legacy Media For Burying Biden’s Decline

Executive

Joe Biden

Media

Media Bias

Politics

It&#8217;s Earth Day, and the White House is trying to fix a toxic and smelly environmental issue on the nation&#8217;s southern border.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that the Trump administration is urging the Mexican government to do more to stop sewage from flowing across the border and into the United States. She highlighted President Donald Trump&#8217;s desire to &#8220;do what&#8217;s right&#8221; for the environment.
During Tuesday&#8217;s press briefing, Leavitt responded to a question from Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan and discussed the work of Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, who is in San Diego pushing for the Mexican government to stop the flow of sewage into the United States.
&#8220;Administrator Zeldin met with his Mexican counterpart to discuss steps Mexico needs to take to ensure the water entering the United States is clean and safe, and he&#8217;s holding a press conference in San Diego today with elected officials and local stakeholders on the Tijuana River sewage crisis,&#8221; Leavitt said. &#8220;I would also add from the president himself, he has always maintained he wants America to have the cleanest air and the cleanest water, and we want to do what&#8217;s right for our environment and for our earth.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
What does the White House have planned for Earth Day? <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> tells <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaryMargOlohan</a>:
&quot;[President Trump] has always maintained he wants America to have the cleanest air and the cleanest water, and we want to do what&#39;s right for our environment and for our earth.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/nrNinIXu8A">pic.twitter.com/nrNinIXu8A</a>
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1914738540858265921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Raw sewage from Mexico has traveled into the United States through the Tijuana River Watershed &#8220;for decades,&#8221; according to Zeldin, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/21/us-news/epas-zeldin-demands-end-to-mexican-sewage-flooding-across-border/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The issue has raised concerns about &#8220;beach closures, degradation of the Tijuana River Valley, and concerns of public health, air quality,&#8221; Zeldin added. Trump&#8217;s EPA administrator met with Mexican Environmental Secretary Alicia Bárcena to discuss the crisis.
Trump <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/work-starts-to-stop-sewage-flows-into-california-from-mexico/2020/09/02/b8675f3e-ed86-11ea-bd08-1b10132b458f_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushed</a> to resolve the Tijuana sewage issue during his first administration, completing a $10.6 million project to prevent millions of gallons of sewage from entering the Tijuana River. Zeldin said on Monday that the crisis &#8220;needs to end.&#8221;
“[T]here’s nowhere more important for me to be tomorrow than on the border in California dealing with this very important public health and environmental crisis,” he added.

Leavitt Highlights Big Environmental Issue For Trump Admin On Earth Day

California

Earth Day

Environment

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Lee Zeldin

Mexico

Social Issues

Southern Border

The Trump administration has received 18 trade proposals from foreign governments, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Tuesday, indicating advancements in negotiations following President Donald Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-unleashes-liberation-day-tariffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduction</a> of &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs earlier this month.
&#8220;I spoke to our entire trade team this morning. There is a lot of progress being made. We now have 18 proposals on paper that have been brought to the trade team,&#8221; Leavitt told reporters during a White House press briefing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> says the administration has received 18 trade proposals from foreign countries so far — and that officials have trade meetings with 34 countries this week alone. <a href="https://t.co/XyK2LCgoB0">pic.twitter.com/XyK2LCgoB0</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1914733472066785619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Leavitt said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, and White House Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing Peter Navarro have meetings with representatives from 34 countries this week.
&#8220;We are moving at Trump speed to ensure these deals are made on behalf of the American worker and the American people,&#8221; Leavitt said.
Leavitt said an underreported news story from this week, in which much of the media&#8217;s coverage has been on the death of Pope Francis, was Vice President JD Vance <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1914649244318703818" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcing</a> that the United States and India have finalized the &#8220;terms of reference&#8221; for a trade negotiation between the two countries.
Vance shared the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/jd-vance-champions-roadmap-toward-us-india-trade-deal-says-partnership-critical-deterring-dark-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news</a> during a trip to India, during which he met with the country&#8217;s prime minister, Narendra Modi.
&#8220;That is a big deal,&#8221; Leavitt said. &#8220;We know, when we look at the numbers, the monetary trade barriers and the non-monetary trade barriers from India — they have been ripping off the United States and American workers for a very long time.&#8221;
She added: &#8220;So the fact that the vice president, with Prime Minister Modi on that trip to India, announced these terms of reference, which is essentially a framework to move the ball forward to sign a good trade deal between our two nations is great progress and it speaks to the work ethic and the real labor that&#8217;s being put into this effort by the president&#8217;s trade team.&#8221;
A little more than a week after &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; on April 2, Trump announced a 90-day pause on the tariffs for most countries, reverting to a 10% rate, while <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-issues-90-day-pause-on-most-tariffs-raises-chinas-to-125" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increasing</a> levies on China to 145%.
Pressed on whether the new trade proposals were sufficient to extend the pause, Leavitt said, &#8220;Ask me in July when the deadline hits.&#8221;
Leavitt also provided an update in regard to China, which has <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/11/china-strikes-back-with-125percent-tariffs-on-us-goods-starting-april-12.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised</a> tariffs on U.S. goods to 125% and vowed to implement <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-vows-to-punish-countries-that-agree-to-trump-trade-deals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;countermeasures&#8221;</a> against countries that agree to trade deals with Trump &#8220;at the expense&#8221; of its interests.
&#8220;I asked the president about this before coming out here. And he wanted me to share with all of you that we are doing very well in respect to a potential trade deal with China,&#8221; Leavitt said. &#8220;As I mentioned, there have now been 18 proposals and more than 100 countries around the world who are wanting to make a deal with the United States of America, and the president and the administration are setting the stage for a deal with China.&#8221;
She continued: &#8220;So we feel everyone involved wants to see a trade deal happen, and the ball is moving in the right direction.&#8221;

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt

‘Moving At Trump Speed’: White House Touts 18 Trade Proposals So Far

India

The Defense Department and the White House, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth himself, fired back over an anonymously-sourced New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/20/us/politics/hegseth-yemen-attack-second-signal-chat.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">piece</a> claiming that Hegseth had shared &#8220;highly sensitive military information&#8221; in a second Signal chat group that allegedly included his wife, his brother, and his attorney.
The story comes on the heels of a previous incident in which The Atlantic&#8217;s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to a different Signal chat group — and an attack on Houthi terrorists was described in some detail before Goldberg went public with both his presence in the group and the contents of the conversation. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz ultimately took responsibility for Goldberg&#8217;s accidental inclusion, which may have been linked to his iPhone&#8217;s algorithm that populates &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/so-damn-dangerous-signal-chat-breach-linked-to-automated-suggestion-feature-on-iphone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">automated contact suggestions</a>.&#8221;
The second chat group, according to the NYT, was nicknamed &#8220;Defense | Team Huddle&#8221; and was accessed via Hegseth&#8217;s personal phone rather than his government phone. Citing several anonymous sources, the NYT stated that the private Signal chat had included at least two of three DOD officials who were recently relieved of duty amid an investigation into &#8220;unauthorized disclosures&#8221; to media. The article offered no evidence suggesting that Hegseth had ever discussed anything of a sensitive nature in that group.
On Sunday, Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell released a statement responding to the story:
<blockquote>Another day, another old story—back from the dead. The Trump-hating media continues to be obsessed with destroying anyone committed to President Trump’s agenda. This time, the New York Times — and all other Fake News that repeat their garbage — are enthusiastically taking the grievances of disgruntled former employees as the sole sources for their article. They relied only on the words of people who were fired this week and appear to have a motive to sabotage the Secretary and the President&#8217;s agenda. There was no classified information in any Signal chat, no matter how many ways they try to write the story. What is true is that the Office of the Secretary of Defense is continuing to become stronger and more efficient in executing President Trump&#8217;s agenda. We’ve already achieved so much for the American warfighter, and will never back down.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 4/20/25
STATEMENT:
Another day, another old story—back from the dead. The Trump-hating media continues to be obsessed with destroying anyone committed to President Trump’s agenda. This time, the New York Times — and all other Fake News that repeat their…
&mdash; Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellATSD) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeanParnellATSD/status/1914135704101175583?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Hegseth, who was present at Monday&#8217;s Easter Egg Roll at the White House, responded directly to the story as well:
<blockquote>What a big surprise that a bunch of leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out from the same media that peddled the Russia hoax.
This is what the media does. They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees, and then they try to slash and burn people and ruin their reputations. Not going to work with me.
We&#8217;re changing the Defense Department, putting the Pentagon back in the hands of warfighters — and anonymous smears from disgruntled former employees on old news doesn&#8217;t matter.</blockquote>
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Pete Hegseth shuts down the fake news media:
&quot;What a big surprise that a bunch of leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out from the same media that peddled the Russia hoax.&quot;
&quot;This is what the media does. They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former… <a href="https://t.co/H4AmR88BJR">pic.twitter.com/H4AmR88BJR</a>
&mdash; Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1914322833506697713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also defended Hegseth during a Monday morning appearance on &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends,&#8221; telling anchor Brian Kilmeade that the president was standing behind Hegseth, &#8220;who is doing a phenomenal job leading the Pentagon.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: &quot;The President stands strongly behind <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PeteHegseth</a>, who is doing a phenomenal job leading the Pentagon.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/8exZQSJr5a">pic.twitter.com/8exZQSJr5a</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1914299932854407660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
National Public Radio (NPR) followed up the NYT report with an anonymously-sourced story claiming that the White House was already looking for a replacement for Hegseth — a claim that Leavitt immediately disputed.
&#8220;This @NPR story is total FAKE NEWS based on one anonymous source who clearly has no idea what they are talking about. As the President said this morning, he stands strongly behind @SecDef.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/NPR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NPR</a>⁩ story is total FAKE NEWS based on one anonymous source who clearly has no idea what they are talking about. 
As the President said this morning, he stands strongly behind ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a>⁩. <a href="https://t.co/5Npig8968v">https://t.co/5Npig8968v</a>
&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1914371752685076757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Defense Department And White House Fire Back After Latest Hegseth Hit Piece

Department of Defense

Military

Pentagon

Pete Hegseth

WASHINGTON — Reporters from the United States&#8217; most prominent outlets waited excitedly for the &#8220;special guest&#8221; touted by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt at her surprise briefing on Wednesday afternoon. Some hoped for President Donald Trump himself, and others speculated that Secretary of Education Linda McMahon or Attorney General Pam Bondi would appear by Leavitt&#8217;s side.
So it was with some surprise that their eyes followed the figure who emerged from behind the sliding door — a woman dressed completely in black, devoid of makeup or jewelry, her hands clasped together in front of her. She stood quietly behind Leavitt as the White House press secretary introduced her: She is Patty Morin, the mother of a woman brutally slain by illegal immigrant Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez as she was exercising on a Maryland trail.
The 23-year-old murderer was arrested in June in Tulsa, Oklahoma and charged with first-degree murder and first-degree rape in Rachel Morin’s death.
And on Wednesday, before a room crowded with legacy reporters who repeatedly berate Leavitt over the deportation of illegal immigrant gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Morin quietly shared her story.
You could have heard a pin drop in the crowded James S. Brady Briefing room as she spoke.
&#8220;A lot of you don&#8217;t know the whole story about Rachel, and about the crime that was committed against her,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Even us, her family, we didn&#8217;t know all the details. They kept most of it close to their chest, the detectives, because they didn&#8217;t want to do anything to hurt the case&#8230;&#8221;
&#8220;I sat for the last two weeks in her trial, and we saw layer, upon layer, upon layer of evidence against the accused, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador,&#8221; the mother continued. &#8220;And the things that we thought, well, maybe this might have happened? We didn&#8217;t know, but when we were at the trial, we got all the puzzle pieces. And I want to share some of those things with you.&#8221;
Morin shared how her daughter was walking on that Maryland path when Martinez-Hernandez approached her. Her killer &#8220;waited for her to come closer,&#8221; Morin said. Realizing no one was around, he attacked her, then dragged her, &#8220;150 feet, blood gushing from her head,&#8221; leaving a trail of her blood in their wake, stopping to brutally batter her head with rocks on the trail, before throwing her against a wall and raping her.
Her mother continued, looking the reporters in the eye as she spoke.
<div id="attachment_908887" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-briefing-room-an-angel-mom-begs-white-house-media-to-tell-the-truth-about-illegal-crime/press-secretary-karoline-leavitt-holds-white-house-media-briefing-with-special-guest" rel="attachment wp-att-908887"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-908887" class="wp-image-908887 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210617484-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210617484-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210617484-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210617484-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210617484.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Patty Morin, mother of Rachel Morin, speaks during a daily press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on April 16, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;When they did the autopsy &#8230; there was a six inch square in the back of her head where the skull is shattered the way that you would crush an egg shell, in pieces. Three fourths of her brain hemorrhaged. Her right and left side of her face bashed in. Her beautiful face bashed in. Her head bashed in. Broken bones, fractures.&#8221;
The murderer took Morin&#8217;s daughter into the tunnel, throwing her against the wall to rape her.
&#8220;He picks her up, he throws her against the wall. Blood is gushing from her head. Her hair is soaked in blood. They showed us pictures of her body, against the wall, the blood outlined her body, and you could see where the blood ran down around her as he was raping her. And then he threw her down and raped her some more. And then he strangled her, because he didn&#8217;t want her to be able to live to tell the story.&#8221;
The reporters in the room were still, most of them listening closely. Usually, the reporters are busy on their phones as Leavitt speaks, texting, emailing, preparing more questions, and shooting questions to their editors about her remarks. On Wednesday, most sat quietly, listening to Morin as she spoke.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t want my granddaughters to see these pictures,&#8221; she said emotionally. &#8220;These are the kind of criminals President Trump wants to remove from our country. These are the kind of criminals that we need to remove from our country. We are American citizens, why should we allow people like this, violent criminals that have no conscience at all, to murder our mothers, our sisters, our daughters.&#8221;
The most powerful moment, however, came as she left the room. Leavitt had offered reporters a chance to ask Morin questions, scanning the front row of legacy media reporters repeatedly. None raised their hands, though some new media reporters in the aisles, including The Daily Wire, had their hands raised.
Leavitt turned to leave, followed by Morin. But the angel mom was arrested by the voice of CNN&#8217;s Kaitlan Collins, who, as recently as Monday, pushed President Trump on whether he would return illegal immigrant Garcia to the United States from El Salvador.
&#8220;Thank you,&#8221; Collins called out to the departing Morin, and her &#8220;thank you&#8221; was followed by a chorus of other White House press.
Morin paused and looked back at the crowded room full of reporters.
&#8220;Please tell the truth,&#8221; she pleaded to them. &#8220;Tell the truth. Tell how violent it really is.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s more than politics,&#8221; the bereaved mother said emotionally. &#8220;It&#8217;s about national security. It&#8217;s about protecting Americans. It&#8217;s about protecting our children.&#8221;
&#8220;Thank you,&#8221; she said, preparing to go. &#8220;Thank you for listening.&#8221;
As she disappeared behind the sliding door, the reporters at the front of the room could see Leavitt throw her arms around Morin and hug her tightly. Morin sounded emotional still, but happy. She had shared her daughter&#8217;s story with the media, looking into their eyes, and they had heard her.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Holds White House Media Briefing With Special Guest

Inside The Briefing Room, An Angel Mom Begs White House Media To ‘Tell The Truth’ About Illegal Crime

El Salvador

Illegal Immigation

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called an unscheduled briefing Wednesday afternoon to lay out the evidence against the deported MS-13 terrorist Democrats are desperately trying to bring back to the United States.
Joining Leavitt was Patty Morin, whose daughter, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deeply-touched-trump-calls-mom-of-rachel-morin-mom-of-five-allegedly-raped-and-murdered-by-illegal-immigrant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rachel</a>, 37, was raped and murdered by illegal immigrant Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez in Maryland in 2023. Morin stood by as Leavitt laid out the case President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration had made against Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Garcia was initially deported to El Salvador due to an &#8220;administrative error,&#8221; but in the days since, administration officials have stated that he is connected to the violent gang MS-13 and had an active deportation order — all points Leavitt reiterated during the briefing.
Leavitt criticized Maryland Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen, who flew to El Salvador to &#8220;check on&#8221; Garcia and attempt to get him released and returned to the United States.
&#8220;Today, we have officially learned Democrat officials still refuse to accept the will of the American people. Maryland’s Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen rushed to Dulles Airport this morning to fly to El Salvador, potentially using taxpayer dollars to demand the release of deported, illegal alien, MS-13 terrorist,&#8221; Leavitt said.
&#8220;The Democrats and media in this room have routinely and wrongly labeled this man — Kilmar Abrego Garcia — as a Maryland father. There is no Maryland father. Let me reiterate: Kilmar Abrego Garcia is an illegal alien, MS-13 gang member and foreign terrorist who was deported back to his home country.&#8221;
&#8220;And when Abrego Garcia was originally arrested, he was wearing a sweatshirt with rolls of money covering the ears, mouth, and eyes of presidents on various currencies and denominations,&#8221; Leavitt continued. &#8220;This is a known MS-13 gang symbol of hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil. Abrego Garcia was also arrested with two other well-known members of the vicious MS-13 gang. And two separate judges found Abrego Garcia was a member of MS-13 and that finding has never been disputed.&#8221;
Leavitt went on to lay out details from several newer reports indicating that Garcia&#8217;s wife had filed multiple protection orders against him, alleging domestic violence.
&#8220;Just this morning, it was revealed through Maryland court documents that Abrego Garcia&#8217;s wife petitioned for an order of protection against him for two instances of domestic violence in may of 2021. And here is the order right here,&#8221; Leavitt said.
&#8220;It’s appalling and sad that Senator Van Hollen and the Democrats applauding his trip to El Salvador today are incapable of having any shred of common sense or empathy for their own constituents and our citizens,&#8221; she added.
&#8220;This is from a court in Maryland, so not only are Democrats rushing to defend an illegal criminal, foreign terrorist gang member, but an apparent woman beater. To set all of that aside, the basic fact that he was illegally in our country and had a lawful deportation order made him subject to removal back to his home country of El Salvador.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/karolineleavitt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KarolineLeavitt</a>: “Today, we have officially learned Democrat officials still refuse to accept the will of the American people. Maryland’s Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen rushed to Dulles Airport this morning to fly to El Salvador, potentially using taxpayer dollars… <a href="https://t.co/0OznM4nZqC">pic.twitter.com/0OznM4nZqC</a>
&mdash; Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) <a href="https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1912612530632958271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Leavitt did not stop there, adding additional details about MS-13 and the reasons that Trump had classified the violent gang members as foreign terrorists.
&#8220;To remind the media and Democrat Party, MS-13 are among the most vicious and dangerous individuals in this world,&#8221; she said. &#8220;They pose a direct threat to the United States, El Salvador, and any other country who maintains basic law and order. MS-13 rapes innocent girls and women, runs sex trafficking operations, murders for sport, and terrorizes law-abiding people. That&#8217;s why the El Salvador President Bukele made clear he will not release this MS-13 gang member from his prison.&#8221;
&#8220;That is not enough — all of that is not enough to stop the Democrat Party from their lies. The number one issue they are focused on right now is bringing back this illegal alien terrorist to America, but where are the Democrats applauding southern border crossings just hit a record low?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Patty Morin, mother of a woman brutally murdered by an illegal immigrant ignored by most of the White House press corps, begs reporters: “Please tell the truth.”
One of the most powerful moments I’ve ever witnessed. <a href="https://t.co/M9937VGt4W">pic.twitter.com/M9937VGt4W</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1912615787543617955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
Van Hollen&#8217;s trip to El Salvador turned out to be a bust, however. He revealed on Wednesday afternoon that he had not been allowed to arrange a visit to the mega-prison where Garcia is being held, nor was he able to convince Salvadoran officials to allow Garcia&#8217;s return to the United States.

US-POLITICS-BRIEFING

White House Calls Surprise Briefing With Patty Morin, Whose Daughter Was Killed By Illegal Alien

Democrats

MS-13 Gang

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that the White House is relying on one key leverage point to get China to the negotiating table amid the ongoing tariff war between the United States and the communist regime.
Quoting President Donald Trump, Leavitt stated that the ball was &#8220;in China&#8217;s court&#8221; and told reporters during Tuesday&#8217;s press briefing that at the end of the day, Chinese exporters needed one thing that only a renegotiated trade agreement with President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration would provide: access to the American markets.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> shares a statement from <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;The ball is in China&#39;s court. China needs to make a deal with us; we don&#39;t have to make a deal with them. There&#39;s no difference between China and any other country except they are much larger, and China wants what we have&#8230; the… <a href="https://t.co/qD9LHzdAJm">pic.twitter.com/qD9LHzdAJm</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1912204265415930128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Look, the president has made his position on China quite clear, although I do have an additional statement that he just shared with me in the Oval Office,&#8221; Leavitt said, quoting, &#8220;&#8216;The ball is in China&#8217;s court. China needs to make a deal with us; we don&#8217;t have to make a deal with them. There&#8217;s no difference between China and any other country except they are much larger, and China wants what we have, what — every country wants what we have: the American consumer.'&#8221;
&#8220;Or to put it another way, they need our money,&#8221; Leavitt added. &#8220;So the president, again, he&#8217;s made it quite clear, he&#8217;s open to a deal with China, but China needs to make a deal with the United States of America.&#8221;
China and the United States have gone back and forth — with escalations and increased retaliatory tariffs on both sides — in the days since Trump first announced his &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; plan aimed at leveling out trade imbalances. As some 130 nations have opted for negotiations over retaliation, Trump announced a 90-day pause in the increased tariffs for those countries. The tariffs against Chinese imports remain at 145%.
Leavitt also took a swipe at former President Joe Biden — who is scheduled to speak Tuesday evening — saying that she&#8217;d been surprised to learn he was speaking at night. &#8220;My first reaction when seeing Former President Biden was speaking tonight was, I&#8217;m shocked that he is speaking at nighttime. I thought his bedtime was much earlier,&#8221; she said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: &quot;My first reaction when seeing Former President Biden was speaking tonight was, I&#39;m shocked that he is speaking at nighttime&#8230; I understand the topic of his speech is Social Security. Let me make it very clear&#8230; <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> is absolutely certain about protecting Social… <a href="https://t.co/0ElkJilupB">pic.twitter.com/0ElkJilupB</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1912205669387870338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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President Trump Participates In A Kennedy Center Board Meeting And Tour

‘China Needs To Make A Deal With Us’: White House Says U.S. Has One Key Leverage Point

Communist China

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday &#8220;it&#8217;s mind-boggling&#8221; how far Democrats are going to defend accused illegal immigrant gang members over American citizens.
During the White House press briefing, a reporter asked Leavitt for a response to the &#8220;priorities&#8221; of Senate Democrats on the illegal immigration issue after noting how Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senator-ultimatum-bring-back-deported-ms-13-suspect-or-ill-go-to-el-salvador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> plans to travel to El Salvador later this week if Kilmar Abrego Garcia — an alleged MS-13 gang member who was detained last month in Maryland, deported, and sent to a prison in his home country of El Salvador — is not returned to the United States.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> on Democrats prioritizing criminal illegal alien criminals over American citizens: &quot;It&#39;s mind-boggling.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/MavhBwf6nd">pic.twitter.com/MavhBwf6nd</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1912199992590168533?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;It&#8217;s mind-boggling, the priorities of the modern-day Democratic Party. I think it&#8217;s atrocious that to have Democrats in Congress on Capitol Hill, who swear an oath to protect their constituents and to serve them in Washington, D.C., spending more time defending illegal immigrant gang members than their own constituents and law-abiding American citizens like Rachel Morin,&#8221; Leavitt said.
Morin, a 37-year-old Maryland mother of five, was found dead in August 2023 after she went out to exercise on a hiking trail. Earlier this week, Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez — who has been identified as an illegal immigrant from El Salvador — was <a href="https://people.com/man-convicted-killing-raping-md-mom-rachel-morin-11715380" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted</a> of raping and murdering Morin.
Leavitt said that she witnessed President Donald Trump &#8220;personally on the campaign trail, and I continue to see him in his role as president of the United States, put American families first, reach out to the families of victims at the hands of illegal immigrant crime.&#8221;
She added, &#8220;Frankly, the actions and the words of the Democrat Party prove they could not care less about the American public. And maybe if they did, they&#8217;d see a bit higher approval ratings right now.&#8221;
Van Hollen issued his ultimatum on Monday, saying that he requested to speak with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, during his trip this week to the United States, and declaring that he planned to travel to El Salvador this week to check on Garcia&#8217;s condition and discuss his release if Garcia is &#8220;not home by midweek.&#8221;
Garcia &#8220;never should have been abducted and illegally deported, and the courts have made clear: the Administration must bring him home, now,&#8221; Van Hollen <a href="https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/news/press-releases/van-hollen-requests-meeting-with-president-bukele-to-discuss-return-of-kilmar-abrego-garcia-announces-intent-to-travel-to-el-salvador-this-week-if-abrego-garcia-is-not-returned" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;However, since the Trump Administration appears to be ignoring these court mandates, we need to take additional action.&#8221;
The Trump administration has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facilitate-not-effectuate-wh-responds-to-scotus-ruling-on-mistakenly-deported-salvadoran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused</a> Garcia, who illegally entered the United States but got permission to stay in 2019, of being an MS-13 gang member. Garcia&#8217;s attorneys have <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kilmar-abrego-garcias-court-trump-deportation-el-salvador-president/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> denied that their client is a member of MS-13. On Monday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stephen-miller-blames-doj-saboteur-for-claiming-salvadoran-migrant-mistakenly-deported" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dismissed</a> claims that Garcia was deported by mistake and contended that the withholding order the suspect received six years ago is no longer valid because the Trump administration has designated MS-13 as a foreign terror organization.
Last week, the Supreme Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/scotus-rules-partially-against-trump-in-deported-migrant-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a ruling that said the government must “facilitate,” but not necessarily “effectuate,” Garcia&#8217;s return as the legal battle over his removal continues. While meeting Trump at the White House on Monday, Bukele <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-officials-bukele-tear-into-cnn-reporter-who-asked-if-illegal-alien-will-be-returned-to-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that he would not send Garcia back. &#8220;How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States?&#8221; Bukele said to reporters, adding, &#8220;I don&#8217;t have the power to return him.&#8221;

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt

‘Mind-Boggling’: White House Slams Dems As Senator Threatens El Salvador Trip For MS-13 Suspect

Congress

Deportations

Maryland

U.S. Senate

White House communications adviser Margo Martin shared a sneak peek behind the scenes as President Donald Trump&#8217;s Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt prepared for Friday&#8217;s briefing, giving the American people a look at how she prepared to face a room full of reporters.
In the short video Martin posted to X, Leavitt paused outside the briefing room to pray for wisdom and strength before she entered the room to take questions from the press pool.
&#8220;This is your @PressSec, America!&#8221; Martin captioned the post.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is your <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>, America! 🙏🏼🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/WShfybW7zK">pic.twitter.com/WShfybW7zK</a>
&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1910753975537643780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Lord Jesus, please give us the strength, the knowledge, the ability to articulate our words, have fun, and be confident, in Jesus&#8217; name, amen,&#8221; Leavitt said before turning to enter the briefing room.
&#8220;More of this! I love it,&#8221; said &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends: Weekend&#8221; host Rachel Campos-Duffy.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
More of this! I love it. ❤️🙏 <a href="https://t.co/QftTxBgTVi">https://t.co/QftTxBgTVi</a>
&mdash; Rachel Campos-Duffy (@RCamposDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCamposDuffy/status/1910847306196304319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Love this!&#8221; Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) agreed. &#8220;@KarolineLeavitt praying before speaking to the press — truly setting an example of a courageous God-fearing woman.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Love this! <a href="https://twitter.com/karolineleavitt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@karolineleavitt</a> praying before speaking to the press—truly setting an example of a courageous God-fearing woman. 🙏 <a href="https://t.co/S6QlihFAJE">https://t.co/S6QlihFAJE</a>
&mdash; Rep. Mary Miller (@RepMaryMiller) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMaryMiller/status/1910762230146015584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Matt 18:20: &#8216;For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them,'&#8221; Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) added.
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Matt 18:20: For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. <a href="https://t.co/2sSu7ozANX">https://t.co/2sSu7ozANX</a>
&mdash; Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepOgles/status/1910785068974674184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Karoline Leavitt leads her press team in prayer before heading to a briefing. This is what leadership looks like. All glory to God!&#8221; another posted.
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Karoline Leavitt leads her press team in prayer before heading to a briefing. 
This is what leadership looks like.
All glory to God! 🙏🏻<a href="https://t.co/3GaRamo4iv">pic.twitter.com/3GaRamo4iv</a>
&mdash; Clare Anne Ath (@clareanneath) <a href="https://twitter.com/clareanneath/status/1910833422060101945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Leavitt revealed during a <a href="https://cbn.com/news/politics/god-she-trusts-karoline-leavitts-journey-white-house-podium" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent interview</a> with the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) that she stopped to pray before every briefing, saying, &#8220;I think that team prayer before is just a moment to be silent and still and ask God for confidence and the ability to articulate my words, knowledge, prayer, protection, and it is a nice moment to reset. It&#8217;s the last thing I do before I go out there, and then it just gives me the confidence to do a briefing.&#8221;
&#8220;My faith is incredibly important to me, I would argue, now more than ever, being in a role that is very demanding and at times controversial, and there&#8217;s a lot of public pressure and discussion online about who you are and your family,&#8221; Leavitt added. &#8220;And you know, it could be difficult for someone who doesn&#8217;t have faith, but with faith, all things are possible.&#8221;

WATCH: Behind-The-Scenes Clip Shows How Trump’s Press Sec Prepares For Briefings

WATCH: Behind-The-Scenes Clip Shows How Trump's Press Sec Prepares For Briefings

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