Sean Spicer Asks Karoline Leavitt Why Trump is ‘Rewarding’ Outlets Who ‘Express Disdain’ For Him
President Donald Trump is engaging with journalists and outlets that have historically been critical of him, according to former press secretary Sean Spicer.
Trump’s apparent strategy was highlighted during a recent White House press briefing when Spicer questioned press secretary Karoline Leavitt about the president’s decision to grant interviews to media figures who have expressed “disdain” for him.
During the briefing, Spicer acknowledged the administration’s efforts to diversify media access, praising Leavitt for “opening up the briefing room” and “bringing in new voices.”
He also commended Trump’s campaign commitment to long-form podcast appearances, which Spicer described as “extremely helpful” in today’s media landscape.
Spicer, however, raised concerns voiced by conservatives about why the president would “reward” critics like Terry Moran of ABC or Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic with exclusive interviews.
These outlets have frequently published content highly critical of Trump throughout his political career.
Leavitt defended the president’s approach, explaining that Trump is “unafraid” and “inspired by competition,” preferring to engage with people “face to face.”
She characterized this willingness to confront critics directly as “one of his best attributes and qualities.”
The press secretary went on to describe America as “incredibly divisive,” attributing this division to what she termed “fake news and the hoaxes and lies” directed at Trump “for the better part of the last decade.”
Despite being what Leavitt called a “victim” of these media attacks, she emphasized that Trump remains willing to engage with these same outlets.
Trump’s readiness to “sit down with them, look them in the eye… and take them to task and share the truth” demonstrates qualities “the American people deserve in a president,” according to Leavitt.
She contrasted this approach with that of “the previous administration.”
One such engagement involves The Atlantic, whose editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg will interview Trump alongside staff writers Michael Scherer and Ashley Parker.
Trump announced this upcoming interview on Thursday, stating he wanted to see if it was “possible for The Atlantic to be ‘truthful.’”
The decision raised eyebrows given Trump’s previous characterization of Parker as a “Radical Left Lunatic” and his claim that Scherer “had never written a fair story” about him.
Reports indicate that after the journalists first requested an interview, Trump told them in late March that if he approved of their first story, he might consider speaking with them again.
Parker’s history includes sharp criticism of Trump’s COVID-19 response during his first term.
As an MSNBC analyst, she stated in November 2020 that Trump was “ignoring” the pandemic and failing to fulfill his presidential duties.
Scherer has published headlines critical of Trump, including one suggesting the former president views himself as a king. Such reportorial framing has typically angered Trump supporters who see media bias in such characterizations.
Goldberg himself has a contentious history with Trump.
In 2020, he published a controversial piece claiming Trump had referred to fallen American soldiers as “suckers and losers,” an allegation Trump vehemently denied.
More recently, Goldberg found himself at the center of a national security controversy when he was accidentally added to a Signal chat containing sensitive government communications.
The Atlantic editor subsequently published messages from the chat that revealed Pentagon plans to attack Houthi forces in Yemen, including specific timing and weaponry details intended for the operation.
Trump’s media strategy extends beyond The Atlantic.
He is also planning to sit down with ABC News’ Terry Moran for what will be his first broadcast interview of his second term, timed to mark his first 100 days back in office.
ABC News has faced frequent accusations of anti-Trump bias from conservative viewers and media watchdogs. Critics pointed specifically to the network’s handling of the September 11 presidential debate last year, where moderators reportedly fact-checked Trump significantly more often than they did his opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris, despite Harris making several statements that were later contested for accuracy.
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