A reporter asked a question Karoline Leavitt didn’t like and her response was a chilling snapshot of how the White House works right now

To the White House now, where a reporter from the New York Times had a perfectly legitimate and frankly essential question about Donald Trump’s summit about Ukraine this week.

Specifically, why the President had taken a break from talks with European leaders to telephone Vladimir Putin, rather than do it – you know – in the room with his fellow western leaders so they could hear what the hell they’re talking about.

And the press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s response, replying to NYT correspondent Shawn McCreesh, is a chilling snapshot of how the White House works right now.

Reporter: If the point is to get anybody on the same page, why wouldn’t Trump just take the call from Putin while the other leaders were in the room? Why is it disrespectful?

Leavitt: Only a reporter from “The New York Times” would ask a question like that. pic.twitter.com/pCToVK8MRH

— Acyn (@Acyn) August 19, 2025

And these people surely said it best.

1.

In other words, great question and I’ll try to discredit the NYT bc I have nothing else.

— Mason (@masonisonx) August 19, 2025

2.

Her standard response every time she gets a question she can’t answer. https://t.co/mVbhTtcuKF

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 19, 2025

3.

I wish the other “journalists” would get some balls and repeat the questions they refuse to answer until they get somewhere.

— shannonmarie (@_thethirdwife) August 19, 2025

4.

BREAKING: Karoline Leavitt is out here spinning like a top, defending Trump taking a call with Putin without the other world leaders, calling the NYT “disrespectful” for even asking why.

If the “progress” was so historic, why hide in the secrecy? Sounds like damage control. pic.twitter.com/EHWf04upmW

— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) August 19, 2025

5.

I’m not from the New York Times, but I second the question. https://t.co/2qcrYNBUDn

— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) August 19, 2025

6.

This reporter asked a perfectly reasonable question about diplomatic transparency, and the professional spokesperson’s response shows us a total breakdown in how political communication works. Instead of addressing the substance – why private calls with adversaries might be…

— A Very British Dad in America (@MChowdry) August 19, 2025

7.

When they dislike a question, they bash the reporter—a typical MAGA tactic. This administration has the press under control; that reporter won’t be invited back to the White House.

— Dj Omega Mvp (@DjOmegaMVP) August 19, 2025