The PresidentDuring his news conference on crime in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Donald Trump took an unusual detour by interrupting his address to criticize his press secretary, Karli Leavitt, and introduce her new moniker, “my superstar.”
The purpose of the event was to introduce Trump’s strategy for combating violent crime in the capital, which included deploying the National Guard, establishing a state of emergency, and assigning Attorney General Pam Bondi to oversee local law enforcement. However, midway into his speech, Trump abruptly began looking around the audience.
Karoline, where are you? My superstar is where? Looking around the room, he said. Karoline? Karoline? Karoline is in the rear, right? Karoline, come on over here. Karoline, come on over here. “Is she doing a good job, by the way?” he questioned the crowd as he gestured her toward the podium, even moving aside to make room.
After a while, Leavitt, who had been standing aside with her hands clasped, moved forward but remained at a distance. She turned the discussion around and grinned when Trump inquired if this was the largest gathering she had ever seen. Indeed. This briefing is undoubtedly the most crowded one. It is, I believe, the reason we must construct a ballroom.
“Can we build a big beautiful briefing room?” yelled a reporter. Trump was unflinching: No. That’s not what I want to do. I do not want you to feel at ease. If not for what transpired earlier this month, the amusing discussion would have been just another Trump moment.
During an interview on August 1, Trump made news by praising his press secretary’s appearance, and not in a complimentary way. She has achieved stardom. It’s that face, that brain, the movement of those lips. They behave as though she were a machine gun. In fact, he said, “She is a great person and a star.” Karoline Leavitt is, in my opinion, the best press secretary anyone has ever had.
Breaking: When asked which element of the Epstein hoax is the hoax, Karoline Leavitt loses it. She lies and claims that Trump has fulfilled his promises, despite his base being incensed at his inability to do so.
Her lies are not believed by anyone.Twitter: pic.twitter.com/X8cpaqE7mR
August 11, 2025, Really American (@ReallyAmerican1)
The comments were immediately criticized for being unprofessional and eerie. It was dismissed by supporters as Trump being Trump.
At 27, Leavitt is the youngest person to serve as press secretary for the White House. Before she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, she served as a press aide for Trump’s 2020 campaign, and she has been in his inner circle for years. She is well-known for her aggressive demeanor at the stage and her readiness to spar with reporters, qualities that obviously appeal to Trump.
Nevertheless, Monday’s performance was quintessential Trump: a sobering statement about public safety and crime was transformed into a moment of self-promotion. The my superstar moniker plus the ongoing discussion about his previous remarks about her face and lips will have people talking, even if the huge magnificent ballroom statement gets lost in the shuffle.
One thing is certain, regardless of whether it raises Leavitt’s reputation or leads to additional criticism of the tone of the White House: Trump will surely stray from the script while he is speaking. As press secretary, Leavitt has been an outspoken supporter of Trump’s initiatives, and if she continues to do so, the president will continue to commend her.
