Hungarian PM says he wants to hire Karoline Leavitt after her fiery takedown of reporters

Hungary's PM Viktor Orban proposed hiring Karoline Leavitt after she faced off with reporters for bombarding Trump with questions on affordability
UPDATED NOV 8, 2025
Viktor Orban told Donald Trump that he would like to hire Karoline Leavitt after her impromptu face-off with reporters in the White House Cabinet Room on November 7 (Getty Images)
Viktor Orban told Donald Trump that he would like to hire Karoline Leavitt after her impromptu face-off with reporters in the White House Cabinet Room on November 7 (Getty Images)


WASHINGTON, DC: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban proposed hiring White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt after she delivered an impromptu attack on the media for spreading “fake news” about US affordability issues. 

The exchange took place in the White House Cabinet Room, where Orban and President Donald Trump met to discuss Hungary’s energy and trade ties on Friday, November 7.

Karoline Leavitt blasts reporters for bombarding Trump with questions

As the meeting wrapped up, reporters fired a barrage of questions at Donald Trump about the government shutdown and rising affordability concerns. One journalist reminded him, “You said last night you didn't want to talk about affordability."

Trump quickly pushed back, saying, “I talked about it. When did I not want to talk about it? I talk about it all the time. We are much better than Biden and all of them now.”

Calling out to press secretary Leavitt, Trump summoned her to the Cabinet Room. Moments later, Leavitt entered and immediately unleashed a blistering rebuke of the media’s economic coverage.

“They said, 'Oh, I don't want to talk about affordability,” the POTUS continued. “The reason I don't want to talk about affordability is because everybody knows that it's far less expensive under Trump than it was under Sleepy Joe Biden.”

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and Vice President JD Vance (L) meet with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban during a bilateral lunch in the Cabinet Room of the White House on November 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump and Orban discussed the war in Ukraine, Hungary’s purchase of Russian oil, and European relations. (Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump and US Vice President JD Vance meet with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban during a bilateral lunch in the Cabinet Room of the White House on November 7, 2025, in Washington, DC (Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)

Leavitt seized the moment, criticizing reporters for ignoring what she described as the administration’s economic turnaround. “It's very unfortunate that the reporters in this room refused to address, sir,” she began. “What you just said, which is that you inherited the worst inflation crisis in modern American history, and you are fixing it in 10 short months."

The 28-year-old added, "And your entire administration has been tasked with this effort, from Treasury Department to Agriculture Department to the National Economic Council right here at the White House, they are slashing regulation. He signed the largest middle-class tax cut in six months. In six months, in record time. Putting more money back into the American people's pockets.”

“Affordability is what the American people elected this president to do,” she insisted. “And he is doing it. And you guys refuse to cover it. And you refused to cover that the previous administration created the worst unaffordability crisis in American history."

Leavitt further quipped, "And I've been watching the TV all day saying that he doesn't want to talk about affordability. That's what he's working on every day. And that's what this administration is doing now.”

Viktor Orban seeks to hire Karoline Leavitt

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral lunch with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban in the Cabinet Room of the White House on November 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump and Orban discussed the war in Ukraine, Hungary’s purchase of Russian oil, and European relations.
 US President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral lunch with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban in the Cabinet Room of the White House on November 7, 2025, in Washington, DC (Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)

Donald Trump accused the media of deliberately ignoring his administration’s economic achievements, claiming reporters “refuse to cover our victories” because they are “fake news.”

His remarks prompted an unexpected moment when the Hungarian prime minister interjected, saying he would like to hire Leavitt.

Trump laughed and replied, “You know what, that's a very good decision you just made. Please don’t leave us, Karoline.”

U.S. President Donald Trump interacts with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban during a bilateral lunch with in the Cabinet Room of the White House on November 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump and Orban discussed the war in Ukraine, Hungary's purchase of Russian oil, and European relations. (Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump interacts with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban during a bilateral lunch in the Cabinet Room of the White House on November 7, 2025, in Washington, DC (Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)

Orban’s visit to the White House came as he pressed the US to exempt Hungary from sanctions imposed on Russia in October amid faltering negotiations with Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.

Will Karoline Leavitt join Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s team?



Karoline Leavitt took to social media to share a video of the Cabinet Room exchange at the White House, originally posted by the Trump War Room account. In her post, she made her position clear, writing, “Thank you Prime Minister Orban for being so kind, but I’m staying right here! 😊🇺🇸”



Just hours later, Orban responded by reposting Leavitt’s message. “Sorry to hear that, but I understand. Keep up the good work,” he wrote, adding a thumbs-up emoji and another with sunglasses.

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