CNN has dubbed Karoline Leavitt, the newly appointed White House press secretary, a “spinmeister” following her first official briefing on Tuesday.
The network’s fact-checker, Daniel Dale, specifically called out Leavitt, 27, for allegedly spinning details about the temporary suspension of federal grants and loans.
During the briefing, Leavitt faced repeated questions regarding the spending freeze and assured that key programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and food stamps would remain unaffected.
However, critics took issue with her failure to address the impact on nonprofit initiatives like Meals on Wheels, leaving questions about their funding unanswered.
CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale criticized Karoline Leavitt’s handling of questions during her first White House press briefing. Speaking on CNN News Central, Dale remarked, “It’s a classic spinmeister tactic, saying I answered that when you haven’t answered it and apparently can’t answer it right away.”
He then continued: “There’s considerable uncertainty around the country among nonprofits of various kinds… And we still do not have clarity on what is happening with the funding that usually goes to those entities,” he added.
Karoline Leavitt first briefing
During her highly anticipated first White House press briefing on Tuesday, Karoline Leavitt introduced significant changes for reporters covering the administration.
At just 27 years old, Leavitt made history as the youngest press secretary in U.S. history and took the opportunity to criticize traditional media, accusing them of losing public trust.
She emphasized a shift in how the White House would handle media relations, stating, “We know for a fact that there have been lies that have been pushed by many legacy media outlets in the country about this president, about his family, and we will not accept that.”
She also warned that the administration would actively challenge coverage they deemed inaccurate or misleading, adding, “We will call you out when we feel your reporting is wrong or there is misinformation about this White House.”
