Yes
I do.
No
I don’t.
President Donald Trump is offering major praise to outgoing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, calling her one of the best people ever to hold the high-profile position.
Leavitt is preparing to leave her role at the end of August after serving as one of the most recognizable public faces of the Trump administration. Trump announced her departure while praising her work, describing her as one of his most trusted aides and saying she had been one of the best White House press secretaries in the history of the office.
At 28, Leavitt made history as the youngest White House press secretary. Her tenure also came during an especially combative period between the Trump White House and much of the national media.
Supporters have praised Leavitt for aggressively defending the president’s agenda, challenging reporters during White House briefings and communicating Trump’s positions directly to Americans. Her approach frequently appealed to Republicans who have long complained that conservative administrations receive unfair treatment from major news organizations.
Critics, however, have taken a much different view of her performance. They have challenged her handling of controversial administration policies and argued that the White House press secretary should be less confrontational when dealing with journalists.
That disagreement is part of what makes Trump’s assessment worth debating.
The press secretary occupies a unique position in any administration. The job requires communicating the president’s policies while facing persistent questioning from reporters, sometimes several times per week. Success can therefore look very different depending on what Americans believe the primary responsibility of the position should be.
Leavitt isn’t disappearing from Trump’s political orbit either. According to Trump’s announcement, she is expected to remain involved as an outside adviser after leaving the White House.
After watching Leavitt represent the Trump administration, Americans can now weigh Trump’s assessment for themselves.
President Trump calls Karoline Leavitt one of the best White House press secretaries. Do you agree?