Trump says Karoline Leavitt 'can be nasty' if needed, honors his 'favorite' press secretary at WHCD

WASHINGTON, DC: President Trump used part of his remarks at the Friday, July 24, rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner to single out Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt for praise, calling her his "favorite White House press secretary" while also joking about her sharper edges in the briefing room.

The dinner, held at the Waldorf Astoria after being postponed from its original April date following a security incident, marked Trump's first appearance at the event since returning to office, and his remarks throughout the night swung between lighthearted asides about members of his own team and sharper, more combative material aimed at the press and his political opponents.

Praise for Trump's favourite

"And congratulations are also in order for our favorite White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, who just had her second child!" Trump said. "You and your husband? She's great. She's done a fantastic job. We all love her. She's done a fantastic job."

Trump then pivoted to a more pointed, if affectionate, characterization of Leavitt's combative style with reporters.

"She's another one. She can be nasty, but sometimes she has no choice, right?" he said. "But Karoline may have one of the hardest jobs in the White House. She has to deal with all of you, all of the time, and you can be very difficult... You can be very, very difficult people."

The comment about Leavitt's job facing off against reporters flowed into a familiar Trump grievance about his media coverage more broadly.

"I'm probably being a little oversensitive sometimes," Trump said.

"I really do think some of you don't like me. In fact, I read a report that I get 93% negative publicity. So how the hell did I win the election by so much?" The remark echoed a statistic Trump has cited before about the tone of his press coverage, though he did not name the source of the figure during the speech.

A rare warm moment in an otherwise pointed speech

The tribute to Leavitt was one of the few genuinely warm moments in a speech that otherwise focused on sharp political attacks.

It included criticisms of Democratic figures like Governor Gavin Newsom, Senator Chuck Schumer, and Representative Ilhan Omar. Leavitt, who has been Trump's press secretary since the beginning of his second term, is known for her combative style during briefings.

She often clashes with reporters over coverage that she and the administration see as unfair or incorrect. Trump's choice to mention her personal life while criticizing her behavior in the press room provided a rare personal touch in a speech mainly focused on political points.