WASHINGTON — Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary, made her debut in the briefing room on Tuesday, saying that podcasters and social media influencers could apply to participate in future briefings.
Leavitt stepped into the room in a magenta pantsuit shortly after 1 p.m. ET. She said before taking questions that reporters have “access to the most transparent and accessible president in American history” with Donald Trump. She called on Mike Allen of Axios for the first question.
The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room was the site of clashes between spokespeople and journalists during Trump’s first term. Trump, a Republican, also made frequent appearances there himself during the coronavirus outbreak.
Leavitt, 27, said that she plans to hold briefings frequently, and that Trump would be available to reporters for questions. “I can assure you that you’ll be hearing from both him and me as much as possible,” she said.
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During the briefing, she said the plan to slap Canada with punishing tariffs on Saturday is still in play, telling reporters that she spoke with the president Monday night and he indicated Feb. 1 was “still on the books” for the introduction of damaging duties against Canada and Mexico.
Trump initially promised 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs in response to what he called the failure of both countries to curb the illegal flow of people and drugs across the border.
The president has since linked the tariff threat to economic and trade concerns with Canada, and has said repeatedly that it should become the 51st state.
Trump had four press secretaries during his first administration: Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham and Kayleigh McEnany. Grisham never held a briefing, while the others were more frequent presences behind the podium.
Leavitt was a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign and transition, and he said she did “a phenomenal job” when he announced in November that she’d be his White House press secretary.
“Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator,” he said then in a statement. “I have the utmost confidence she will excel at the podium, and help deliver our message to the American People as we Make America Great Again.”
Previously, the youngest press secretary was Ronald Ziegler, who was 29 when he took the position in 1969 in Richard Nixon’s administration.
Grisham was arguably the nation’s least visible press secretary in modern history, not holding a press briefing during nine months on the job. While she made occasional appearances on the Fox News Channel, she preferred to tape her interviews in a studio to avoid having to speak to reporters who gather on the White House driveway to interview officials after they appear on TV via cameras set up outside the executive mansion.
The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration, and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps.
Trump disrupted those norms in his first term, preferring to serve as his own chief spokesperson. While he was president from 2017 to 2021, he frequently preferred to engage directly with the public, from his rallies, social media posts and his own briefings.
At a news conference this past August, Trump was asked if he’d have regular press briefings in his new administration. He told reporters, “I will give you total access, and you’ll have a lot of press briefings, and you’ll have, uh, from me.”
When it came to a press secretary, he said: “Probably they’ll do something. If it’s not daily, it’s going to be a lot. You’ll have more than you want.”
— With files from The Canadian Press
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