White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has explained why she decided to restrict credentialed journalists’ access to her office in the West Wing, near the Oval Office
Karoline Leavitt has opened up about what she described as an “inappropriate work environment” after saying she has “PTSD” from her demanding schedule.
During an appearance on the Pod Force One political podcast, hosted by New York Post columnist Miranda Devine, the White House press secretary opened up on her life and job, revealing what it is like to speak for President Donald Trump. The 28-year-old mom-of-one has said she wants her team to be open to the press and available to answer questions, but revealed she had to make some changes to restrict the ability of credentialed journalists to freely access her office in the West Wing, near the Oval Office.
A new memorandum from the National Security Council, which was introduced last month, has banned journalists from accessing Room 140 – also known as Upper Press – without a prior appointment. Karoline said the change was implemented to protect potentially sensitive material. It comes after Leavitt’s family delivered a brutal message to a relative who has been detained by ICE.
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Explaining the reasons behind her decision, Karoline told podcast host Miranda, “What was happening up here was, now that we have taken over the responsibilities of the National Security Council, thanks to the restructuring of Secretary Rubio when he became National Security Advisor, Steven Cheung and I are responsible for all communications matters, including national security.
“And so we felt that it became very inappropriate for reporters to be loitering around sensitive information in our offices. And we did, unfortunately, catch some unruly reporters recording us without our permission, listening in our conversations, eavesdropping.”
She added, “We have staff meetings in the morning, some of the reporters started to pick up on that and we’d walk out and they’d be out there, trying to listen.” Karoline added that if Secretary Rubio or Donald Trump wanted to go into their offices, there would be reporters outside, “heckling them,” which she said became an “inappropriate work environment.”
The press secretary explained, “So now they’re welcome up here, but it’s by appointment only.” It comes after Karoline, who is the youngest person to hold the position of White House press secretary, spoke candidly with the Daily Mail about struggling to keep plans with her 60-year-old husband as she often has to cancel due to her hectic job.
Due to her grueling schedule, she said she no longer makes plans in advance. “We just roll with it,” Karoline said, “If there’s a night where I happen to become free, then we take full advantage of that as a family.”
“Honestly, I have PTSD about making plans, so I just don’t,” Karoline told the Daily Mail, sharing words of wisdom with the reporter interviewing her: don’t make plans after work. That, according to the press secretary, is a “rookie move.”
She continued, “It’s very difficult to make plans in this job. My husband and I had three different mini weekend getaway vacations this summer. All three got canceled due to foreign policy events.”
Karoline had to cancel a trip to her native New Hampshire over the summer after a last-minute engagement sprang up on Trump’s schedule. “But that’s part of the job, and it’s what makes it fun and challenging and keeps every day new. And it’s, you know, it’s temporary. We’re one year down. We got three to go.”
Trump had four official press secretaries during his first term, and at over 300 days on the job, Karoline has already outlasted three of her predecessors, with Sarah Huckabee Sanders holding the position for just under two years. After giving birth to her son Niko last summer, the press secretary was back at work after three days, forgoing maternity leave after Trump’s highly publicized assassination attempt in July 2024.
Speaking with The Conservateur, the young mother explained, “I felt compelled to be present in this historic moment. The president literally put his life on the line to win this election. The least I could do is get back to work quickly.”
It comes after the White House issued an 8-word response to Leavitt’s relative being detained by ICE.
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