WH press secretary Karoline Leavitt locked in bitter feud with NBC's Peter Alexander after tense run-ins

WASHINGTON, DC: At just 27 years old, Karoline Leavitt made history as the youngest White House press secretary — but her rising profile has been overshadowed by an ongoing feud with NBC’s Peter Alexander that continues to draw attention.

Sparks first flew during her debut press briefing, when a sharp exchange over deportation policy set the stage for what’s become a relentless back-and-forth.

By February, the tension hit new heights as the two clashed over budget cuts and allegations of government fraud. What began with icy smiles and pointed barbs has now erupted into a full-blown war of words — and neither side seems ready to back down.

Karoline Leavitt and Peter Alexander clashed over deportation during her first White House press briefing

Karoline Leavitt’s very first White House press briefing set the tone for what would quickly become a tense relationship with NBC’s Peter Alexander, as per Nicki Swift.

The friction began when Alexander questioned whether non-violent offenders would be deported before violent ones, prompting a visibly irritated Leavitt to respond firmly.

“The president has said countless times on the campaign trail — I've been with him at the rallies, I know you've been there covering them, too, Peter — that he is focused on launching the largest mass deportation operation in American history of illegal criminals,” she said. “If you are ... a foreign national who illegally enters the United States of America, you are, by definition, a criminal.”

The tension only grew when Alexander asked for clarification on how a federal funding freeze might affect certain organizations, though he wasn’t able to name any specific programs.

Leavitt pounced on the gap. “So you're asking a hypothetical based on programs that you can't even identify,” she said with a sarcastic chuckle. Alexander, unfazed, shot back, “Let’s do it together, just for Americans at home.”

Leavitt, visibly annoyed, replied, “I gave you a list of examples,” before naming a few unaffected programs and promising to provide a more detailed list later.

Despite the sharp tone and pointed remarks, the exchange remained on the edge of civility — but it was clear that the relationship between the press secretary and the reporter was off to a rocky start.

Karoline Leavitt and Peter Alexander clashed again in February

In February, tensions between Karoline Leavitt and Peter Alexander flared once again during a particularly uncomfortable exchange.

When Alexander pointed out that some voters were less than thrilled with the administration’s DOGE cuts, Leavitt quickly fired back, flashing a forced smile as she accused the media of amplifying a minority of critics.

“I love how the media takes a few critics when the overwhelming response from the American people is support for what this administration is doing,” the 27-year-old said. 

The exchange grew even more tense when Alexander pressed her on claims of widespread fraud. Leavitt responded with another tight smile, citing an inspector general’s report claiming $71 billion in fraud in “one single fiscal year.” She added, "That is a lot of fraud, Peter."

With a calm but pointed correction, Alexander noted, “To be clear, that $71 billion was from 2015 to 2022, so it wasn't in just one year.” Leavitt’s smile quickly faded as she snapped, “So are you defending $71 billion in fraud, Peter?”

She went on to insist that the administration was working to prevent fraud — then took a shot at Alexander and the press corps, accusing them of essentially turning a blind eye. Cutting him off, she declined to take more questions, saying sharply, “That’s your fifth question,” and moved on to another reporter.

Shortly after that, the official White House rapid response X (formerly Twitter) account posted a clip of the exchange with a jab at Alexander: “@PressSec smacks down fake news loser @PeterAlexander as he tries to run cover for the WASTE, FRAUD and ABUSE in the federal government.”

While Leavitt didn’t personally author the post, she certainly didn’t distance herself from it either. As the back-and-forth intensifies, it’s clear that there’s little love lost between the two, and this feud is far from over.