Karoline Leavitt Says Reporters Privately Apologized for ‘Unfair’ Questions at Briefings

Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says some reporters covering the briefing room privately apologized to her after asking questions they themselves considered unfair.

Leavitt made the remarks on the latest episode of “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” describing what she called the “performative” nature of White House press briefings.

“There’s been times reporters have even said to me, ‘I’m sorry I had to ask that today. My bosses really wanted me to ask that, they know it’s an unfair question,'” she said, without naming names.

Leavitt, who frequently sparred with reporters during her tenure as press secretary, argued that journalists at major news organizations often answer to demands from editors and executives rather than their own judgment.

“The reporters are controlled by their bosses …They’re not in control of their own livelihood,” she told host Sean Hannity. “They are dictated by the editors and the execs at some of these companies.”

She said both sides of the podium play a role in the theatrics of the briefing room.

“There’s a performative aspect to the briefing room,” she said. “In fairness, I think on both sides, right? But definitely with the press. And they have to do that because their bosses are demanding it.”

Leavitt frequently clashed with reporters during her time in the role, including CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, and has at times referred to members of the press as “left-wing hacks.” Still, she said she holds no personal animosity toward journalists.

“I don’t hate anyone,” she said. “There are some I enjoy less than others. I’ll say that… There’s some that I just don’t take seriously because they are just left-wing hacks, as I would call them in the briefing room.”

She credited “a few” reporters with doing solid work but declined to name them, saying she was concerned that singling them out publicly could “kill their career.”

Leavitt also pointed to what she described as positive changes in leadership at some major outlets, citing “a lot of improvement” at CBS, while maintaining that bias persists elsewhere in the industry.

“We’re seeing some changes at some networks, but most of them are controlled by far-left liberals who live in New York or D.C., and they dictate what’s asked and what’s written,” Leavitt said.

She added that she was not asking newsrooms for favorable coverage.

“We are not asking for like positive puff pieces every day, just fairness, truth, accuracy, just telling a story or writing about factual information,” she said.

Leavitt’s full interview is available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple.