Karoline Leavitt

Leavitt told reporters the administration was 'committed to releasing those files' but deferred to the Justice Department on timing. This came shortly after Bondi briefed Trump that his name appeared in the files. CNN's timeline analysis later demonstrated that after this briefing, the administratio...

Leavitt told reporters the administration was 'committed to releasing those files' but deferred to the Justice Department on timing. This came shortly after Bondi briefed Trump that his name appeared in the files. CNN's timeline analysis later demonstrated that after this briefing, the administration's tone shifted dramatically — from hyping upcoming releases to actively suppressing them.

After the DOJ released an unsigned memo concluding no client list existed, Fox News' Peter Doocy confronted Leavitt: 'What happened to the Epstein client list that the attorney general said she had on her desk?' Leavitt attempted to rewrite Bondi's February claim: 'She was saying the entirety of all...

After the DOJ released an unsigned memo concluding no client list existed, Fox News' Peter Doocy confronted Leavitt: 'What happened to the Epstein client list that the attorney general said she had on her desk?' Leavitt attempted to rewrite Bondi's February claim: 'She was saying the entirety of all of the paperwork, all of the paper in relation to Jeffrey Epstein's crimes. That's what the attorney general was referring to.' She added that some material was withheld because it 'contained child pornography, which is not something that is appropriate for public consumption.' The next day, she issued a written statement calling coverage 'baseless and unfounded in reality.' Fox News posted a 2:22 clip of the exchange. Covered by Deadline, HuffPost, Rolling Stone, The New Republic, and Daily Caller.

After Trump called MAGA supporters focused on Epstein 'weaklings' buying into 'bulls--t,' Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich asked Leavitt to 'clarify which part of the Epstein hoax is the hoax part.' Leavitt attacked Democrats, confirmed Trump 'would not recommend a special prosecutor,' and when asked wheth...

After Trump called MAGA supporters focused on Epstein 'weaklings' buying into 'bulls--t,' Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich asked Leavitt to 'clarify which part of the Epstein hoax is the hoax part.' Leavitt attacked Democrats, confirmed Trump 'would not recommend a special prosecutor,' and when asked whether Trump would pardon Ghislaine Maxwell if the case was truly a hoax, simply ignored the question. Rolling Stone noted she 'stumbled through a whole round of questioning' with 'increasingly incoherent' answers.

After House Oversight Democrats released a 'birthday book' created for Epstein's 50th birthday containing an apparent Trump signature and a $22,500 check bearing Trump's name, Leavitt posted on X: 'This is FAKE NEWS to perpetuate the Democrat Epstein Hoax!' She claimed Trump 'did not draw this pictu...

After House Oversight Democrats released a 'birthday book' created for Epstein's 50th birthday containing an apparent Trump signature and a $22,500 check bearing Trump's name, Leavitt posted on X: 'This is FAKE NEWS to perpetuate the Democrat Epstein Hoax!' She claimed Trump 'did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it.' This statement would directly contradict what she said at the podium less than 24 hours later.

In what became the most extensively documented Epstein briefing exchange, NYT's Maggie Haberman pressed Leavitt on her 'hoax' claim. Leavitt reversed her written statement from less than 24 hours earlier: 'I did not say the documents are a hoax. I said the entire narrative surrounding Jeffrey Epstei...

In what became the most extensively documented Epstein briefing exchange, NYT's Maggie Haberman pressed Leavitt on her 'hoax' claim. Leavitt reversed her written statement from less than 24 hours earlier: 'I did not say the documents are a hoax. I said the entire narrative surrounding Jeffrey Epstein right now... is a hoax.' She then cited a nonexistent Daily Signal article with 'three separate forensic analysts' — no such article existed. When Daily Mail's Charlie Spiering asked twice whether Trump would meet with Epstein's victims, Leavitt ignored the question both times and accused Democrats of using victims as 'political pawns.'

After House Oversight Democrats released Epstein emails where he told Maxwell that Trump had 'spent hours' at his house with a victim and 'knew about the girls,' Leavitt emailed outlets: 'The Democrats selectively leaked emails to the liberal media to create a fake narrative to smear President Trump...

After House Oversight Democrats released Epstein emails where he told Maxwell that Trump had 'spent hours' at his house with a victim and 'knew about the girls,' Leavitt emailed outlets: 'The Democrats selectively leaked emails to the liberal media to create a fake narrative to smear President Trump.' At the briefing, she said the emails 'prove absolutely nothing.' She also defended a Situation Room meeting where Bondi, Blanche, and Patel had briefed Rep. Boebert on the discharge petition: 'Doesn't it show transparency that members of the Trump administration are willing to brief members of Congress whenever they please?' She refused to share details of the meeting itself. On Maxwell clemency, she said: 'He's answered this repeatedly. It's not something he's talking about or even thinking about at this moment in time.'

After Vanity Fair published Chief of Staff Susie Wiles's devastating internal critique — calling Bondi's binder stunt 'binders full of nothingness' and saying 'there is no client list, and it sure as hell wasn't on her desk' — Leavitt responded the same day. She praised Wiles as someone Trump has 'n...

After Vanity Fair published Chief of Staff Susie Wiles's devastating internal critique — calling Bondi's binder stunt 'binders full of nothingness' and saying 'there is no client list, and it sure as hell wasn't on her desk' — Leavitt responded the same day. She praised Wiles as someone Trump has 'no greater or more loyal advisor' than, and on Fox News called the article 'another attempt at fake news by a reporter who was acting disingenuously,' claiming the reporter 'took the chief's words out of context.' Critically, Leavitt did not address the substance of Wiles's criticism of Bondi's Epstein handling — she focused entirely on defending Wiles personally and attacking the reporter's framing.

On the statutory deadline for the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the DOJ released a widely criticized partial batch — heavily redacted, with 550+ entirely blacked-out pages. Within hours, 16 files disappeared from the DOJ website without explanation. Leavitt's response: she posted 'Oh my!' with a s...

On the statutory deadline for the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the DOJ released a widely criticized partial batch — heavily redacted, with 550+ entirely blacked-out pages. Within hours, 16 files disappeared from the DOJ website without explanation. Leavitt's response: she posted 'Oh my!' with a shocked emoji about a Bill Clinton hot tub photo from the files, deflecting attention from the administration's own compliance failures and the bipartisan fury that followed.

After Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified to Congress about visiting Epstein's island in 2012, contradicting his prior claim of cutting ties in 2005, reporters pressed Leavitt. She defended Lutnick, then on released FBI documents potentially corroborating Trump's claim he cooperated against ...

After Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified to Congress about visiting Epstein's island in 2012, contradicting his prior claim of cutting ties in 2005, reporters pressed Leavitt. She defended Lutnick, then on released FBI documents potentially corroborating Trump's claim he cooperated against Epstein, told reporters: 'I'm sure many of you, when you read that alleged FBI report, probably thought to yourself, Wow, this really cracks our narrative. So, we're moving on from that.' She then launched into a prepared list of administration 'wins' and abruptly ended the briefing after roughly 20 minutes.

The DOJ released three previously withheld FBI interview memos from 2019 with a woman who alleged Epstein trafficked her to Trump when she was between 13 and 15. The files had been discovered missing by NPR and were released only after the March 4 subpoena vote — DOJ claimed they were 'incorrectly c...

The DOJ released three previously withheld FBI interview memos from 2019 with a woman who alleged Epstein trafficked her to Trump when she was between 13 and 15. The files had been discovered missing by NPR and were released only after the March 4 subpoena vote — DOJ claimed they were 'incorrectly coded as duplicative.' Leavitt's statement: 'These are completely baseless accusations, backed by zero credible evidence, from a sadly disturbed woman who has an extensive criminal history.' The Miami Herald's Julie K. Brown reported finding no 'extensive criminal history' — one dismissed theft arrest. A DOJ source told the Herald that agents found her to be credible and would not have interviewed her four times if they thought she was lying.