SMACKDOWN: Karoline Leavitt just delivered a masterclass in shattering media narratives—in real time. By the end,…
Summary
Karoline Leavitt, a White House spokesperson, responded to reporters' questions about deportations and immigration policy at a press briefing, repeatedly correcting media narratives and shutting down what she characterized as gotcha questions about foreign terrorists, MS-13 gang members, and Social Security.
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SMACKDOWN: Karoline Leavitt just delivered a masterclass in shattering media narratives—in real time. By the end, reporters were left stammering, silent, or both. You won’t believe one reporter’s reaction. 🧵THREAD
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📍Before we jump in, do yourself a favor and bookmark the post above—you’re going to want to revisit this total takedown of the media. Alright, let’s roll the clips…
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It started with NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez trying to corner Leavitt during a White House press briefing. He opened by thanking the press team for information on recent ICE arrests—then tried to use that as a springboard to accuse the administration of withholding details about deported foreign terrorists. “Why not release the same information for those who were deported to El Salvador?” he asked. Leavitt didn’t blink. “First of all, the information was released by the Department of Homeland Security,” she said. Then she drew the line reporters kept trying to blur. “The individuals on the flights to El Salvador are foreign terrorists and those are counterterrorism operations. They are much different than the arrests and final order of removals you see on a day-to-day basis that law enforcement agents are conducting around the country.” Gutierrez doubled down, fumbling his words: “That information was not—to that detail—was not released by DHS then?” Leavitt calmly shut it down. “I just told you the reason. It was a counterterrorism operation, a deportation of foreign terrorists, not illegal criminals who have been convicted of heinous crimes living in our American communities.” Then came the knockout line: “Two different things: foreign terrorists, illegal alien criminal, two different things, two different definitions.” “You should look them up.” Game over.
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Then came one of the most devastating reactions ever seen in the history of White House briefings. Another reporter stepped in—hoping to trip Leavitt up with a “gotcha” question about Trump-era deportation policy. “How concerned is the president that a federal judge could hold a Trump administration official in contempt of court for defying deportation orders?” Leavitt saw it for what it was and responded without missing a beat. “We are complying with ALL court orders,” she said, firm and direct. Then she exposed the setup: “So I see what you are trying to do there with that question, but we are very confident that every action by this administration is within the confines of the law and we comply with the court’s orders.” And just in case there was any confusion, she added: “You have seen that, and the president made that clear yesterday in the Oval Office with President Bukele.” NUKED. The reporter had nothing. No rebuttal. No follow-up. Just an awkward silence as the air got sucked out of the room. He was devastated.
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The face of TOTAL defeat.
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But the real fireworks came when reporters started pressing Leavitt about MS-13 gang member and alleged human trafficker Abrego Garcia—who had just been deported. “Who is responsible for this man and where he’s going to end up?” one asked. Leavitt wasn’t having it. “First of all,” she said, “President Bukele said he is not going to smuggle a foreign terrorist back into the United States of America—as many in this room and the Democrat Party seemingly want him to do.” Then she laid out the facts in plain English. “Abrego Garcia was a foreign TERRORIST. He is an MS-13 gang member. He was engaged in human trafficking. He illegally came into our country. So, deporting him back to El Salvador was always going to be the end result.” She made it clear he wasn’t coming back. “There is never going to be a world in which this individual is going to live a peaceful life in Maryland, because he is a foreign terrorist and an MS-13 gang member.” And for anyone still confused, she brought it back to the source. “Not only have we confirmed that—President Bukele yesterday in the Oval Office confirmed that as well. He went back to his home country where he will face consequences for his gang affiliation and his engagement in human trafficking.” Then came the line that made every reporter in the room shift in their seat: “I’m not sure what is so difficult about this for everyone in the media to understand,” she said. “It’s APPALLING—truly appalling—that there has been so much time covering this alleged human trafficker and gang member, MS-13 gang member.” She ended with five words that said it all: “It’s truly striking to me.” Shutdown.
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As a grand finale, Karoline Leavitt delivered one of the most SAVAGE mic drops of her career. A reporter asked her to respond to Joe Biden’s upcoming speech, where the former president is expected to accuse Trump of slashing Social Security—citing office closures, long wait times, and difficulties for seniors and the disabled. “I want to get the president’s response,” the reporter asked, “to what Democrats are calling cuts to Social Security.” 🔥 And BOOM: “My first reaction when seeing former President Biden was speaking tonight was—I’m shocked he is speaking at nighttime,” she said. “I thought his bedtime was much earlier than his speech tonight.” Then she got serious—and drew a line in the sand. “I understand the topic of his speech will be Social Security. Let me make it clear ahead of former President Biden’s remarks: the president—this president, President Trump—is absolutely certain about protecting Social Security benefits for law-abiding, taxpaying American citizens and seniors who have paid into the program.” “He will always protect that program. He campaigned on it, he protected it in his first term, and he’s back again to continue protecting it.” No notes. Just a flawless takedown from start to finish. This wasn’t just a press briefing. It was a total annihilation of the mainstream media.
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Thanks for reading. If you value this kind of reporting, follow me for more stories you won’t find anywhere else. → @VigilantFox Shifting gears—El Salvador’s president met with Trump. And he dropped a line so good, Trump asked if he could steal it.
The Vigilant Fox 🦊@VigilantFox · Apr 14, 2025El Salvador’s President Issues the Ultimate Challenge to Trump He dropped a line so good, President Trump asked if he could steal it. 🧵 THREAD