‘Do They All Turn Orange?’: Karoline Leavitt Dodges Bombshell Question on Live TV; Reporters Immediately Noticed What She Refused to Say, and She Crumbles As They All Push Back
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt returned to the briefing room Thursday and immediately faced pointed questions from reporters over President Donald Trump‘s continued false claims about the 2020 election.
Leavitt held her first White House press briefing on July 16 after taking several months of maternity leave. Reporters repeatedly pressed her to explain why Trump continues to dispute the results of the 2020 presidential election, despite courts, recounts and audits rejecting claims that widespread fraud changed the outcome.
The toughest exchange began when NBC News Chief White House Correspondent Garrett Haake asked why Trump continues to focus on the election he lost to former President Joe Biden.
“The 2020 election has had dozens of recounts, lawsuits, audits,” Haake said. “The 2024 election is widely believed to be safe and secure. There’s not really any question about that.”
Before he could finish, Leavitt cut him off.
“Because it was too big to rig. A massive amount of votes for this president. That’s why he’s in the Oval Office right now,” she responded.
Haake pushed back.
“No one disputes that. And there were a significant amount of votes for Joe Biden, who won in 2020. I think the question is, why is the president unable to let this go?”
Later that evening, Trump delivered a prime-time address announcing what he claimed was newly declassified information about China’s alleged interference in the 2020 election.
Leavitt defended Trump’s continued focus on the election.
“I think part of the problem is that the media has refused to acknowledge that tens of millions of Americans across the country share the concerns of this president about the sanctity of our elections,” she said, accusing Haake of drawing conclusions before hearing Trump’s speech.
Claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election have repeatedly been rejected by federal and state courts, election officials, recounts and audits. Multiple investigations found no evidence that fraud altered the outcome of the race, which Biden won.
Leavitt also urged reporters to watch Trump’s address, insisting the president’s claims would be supported by evidence.
“You should report on the findings that he’s going to reveal in this speech with a little bit of honesty and a little bit of integrity,” she said. “Everything he is saying will be backed by facts and by evidence.”
The questions didn’t stop there.
CNN Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins noted that Trump has been back in office for more than a year and asked why, if the evidence was so compelling, no one had been charged.
“If what he says tonight is backed up by evidence, why hasn’t anyone been charged?” Collins asked.
“He hasn’t revealed it yet. He hasn’t declassified the documents yet,” Leavitt replied. “You’ll see what he says tonight, and then we’ll move forward appropriately from there.”
Collins followed up by asking whether the Department of Justice planned to bring criminal charges.
“I don’t speak on behalf of the Justice Department, Kaitlan. You know that,” Leavitt responded.
When Collins asked again whether anyone would face charges, Leavitt replied, “You’ll have to ask the Justice Department. I don’t charge people. I speak on behalf of the president.”
The questioning continued when CBS News Chief White House Correspondent Ed O’Keefe asked whether Trump would accept the results of the upcoming November elections.
Leavitt avoided answering directly and instead encouraged reporters to watch Trump’s speech. When O’Keefe repeated the question, she declined to respond and called on another reporter.
The contentious briefing quickly spread across social media, where users debated Leavitt’s responses and praised reporters for continuing to press the administration on Trump’s claims about the 2020 election.
Social media melted down, commenting on Leavitt’s gaslighting with both serious and joking posts. “
The clown show never stops. Barney Fife could come up with a better response,” an X user hilariously pointed out. “Wow, she is not smart at all,” another noted.
A Threads user joked about her heavy makeup, which was a shade off. “Do they all turn orange?” Others encouraged reporters to continue pushing back. “Keep at it, Kaitlan. Keep at it” and “Get ‘um Kaitlan!”