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Fact check: What was the incident that Karoline Leavitt was involved in?

Checked on June 20, 2025

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, Karoline Leavitt has been involved in multiple incidents as White House Press Secretary, rather than a single incident. The most recent and prominent incidents include:

  • June 2025: Leavitt had a confrontational exchange with Representative Jasmine Crockett, calling Crockett's comments about Trump supporters "incredibly derogatory" and "slamming" her during a press briefing [1].
  • June 2025: She engaged in a tense exchange with veteran journalist Jasmine Wright during a press conference, calling Wright's question about whether Donald Trump would support nonviolent protests "stupid" [2] [3].
  • May 2025: Leavitt had a heated confrontation with a reporter who questioned President Trump's use of a controversial video during a meeting with South Africa's president. The video allegedly depicted white crosses representing slain South African farmers, and Leavitt called the reporter's line of questioning "ridiculous" [4] [5].
  • April 2025: She sparked controversy by refusing to engage with reporters who use pronouns in their email signatures, denouncing them as "unrealistic" and claiming they "deny biological reality" [6].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question assumes a single incident, but Leavitt's tenure as Press Secretary has been marked by multiple confrontational exchanges with journalists and political figures. Several important contextual elements emerge:

  • Pattern of aggressive responses: The analyses reveal a consistent pattern of Leavitt responding aggressively to challenging questions, using terms like "stupid," "ridiculous," and "derogatory" [2] [4] [1] [3].
  • Specific controversy details: The South Africa video incident involved disputed claims about what the video actually showed - whether it depicted a "burial site" or simply "white crosses representing slain farmers" [5].
  • Political implications: Those who support a more confrontational press secretary approach would benefit from framing these incidents as Leavitt "standing up" to hostile media, while critics would benefit from portraying them as unprofessional behavior that undermines press freedom.
  • Timing significance: The incidents span from April to June 2025, suggesting an ongoing pattern rather than isolated events.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains an implicit assumption that may be misleading:

  • Singular vs. multiple incidents: By asking about "the incident," the question suggests there was only one notable incident involving Karoline Leavitt, when the evidence shows multiple significant confrontations [2] [4] [6] [1] [3] [5].
  • Lack of specificity: The question doesn't specify what type of incident is being referenced, which could lead to incomplete or misleading answers that focus on only one of several controversial moments.
  • Framing bias: The question's structure implies there is a widely known single incident, potentially reflecting media coverage that may have emphasized one incident over others, or suggesting the questioner has incomplete information about Leavitt's multiple controversial exchanges.
Want to dive deeper?
What were the consequences for Karoline Leavitt after the incident?
How did Karoline Leavitt's incident affect her political career?
What was the public reaction to Karoline Leavitt's involvement in the incident?
Is Karoline Leavitt still active in politics after the incident?
What did Karoline Leavitt say about her involvement in the incident?