President Donald Trump has called out White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt for being behind the ‘bad publicity’ he receives during a meeting with reporters.
Trump’s latest polling figures show his approval rating sliding, hitting a second-term low following his actions connected to the Iran conflict.
According to Silver Bulletin, two weeks ago his approval rating sat at -13.9.
Since then, his net approval rating has dropped further to -16.7, marking a new low point.
Even as Trump insists the US is performing well in the Iran war led by Israel, that stance hasn’t translated into broader public support for the situation itself.
Amid growing criticism, Trump made a pointed—if playful—remark that placed some of the blame on Leavitt, his 28-year-old press secretary.
During an Oval Office appearance where he was signing an executive order, Trump turned his attention to Leavitt as he spoke to reporters. Leavitt is expected to head on maternity leave next month as she prepares to welcome her second child.
He told reporters that his 2024 election publicity was ‘93% bad’, adding: “Some people say 97, but between 93 and 97. A person that gets 97% of bad … maybe Karoline’s doing a poor job, I don’t know.”
He then turned and told her directly: “You’re doing a terrible job.”
However, the exchange appeared lighthearted, with Trump signaling it was a joke as he added: “Shall we keep her? I think we’ll keep her.”
He then returned to his broader complaint about media coverage, saying: “But, I get 93-97% bad press, fake press, all fake. I won in a landslide. When you get 93-97 bad stories, bad press, and you win in a landslide, you know what that says? People don’t believe the press,” he concluded.
It wasn’t the first time Trump had commented on Leavitt’s performance in front of reporters. During a diplomacy-related meeting in October, he raised the idea of replacing her before brushing it off.
In that earlier exchange, he said it would ‘never happen’ as: “That face… and those lips, they move like a machine gun.”
As discussion around his approval rating continues, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle defended the administration’s approach, saying: “What matters most to the American people is having a Commander-in-Chief who takes decisive action to eliminate threats and keep them safe, which is exactly what President Trump is doing with the ongoing successful Operation Epic Fury. “President Trump campaigned proudly on his promise to deny the Iranian regime the ability to develop a nuclear weapon, which is what this noble operation is seeking to accomplish. “The President does not make these incredibly important national security decisions based on fluid opinion polls, but on the best interest of the American people.”