Karoline Leavitt told students at George Washington University on April 2 that Donald Trump “actually likes to read,” casting the president as someone who keeps up with news and information. Speaking at the event and addressing Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk, Leavitt said her best advice had been to try to be the most well-read person in every room, then added, “I try to be every day, but Donald Trump always is.”
She pressed the point further, saying, “That man does not miss a story. Let me tell you. He is always reading the papers and watching TV. He doesn’t miss anything anyone says in the whole world.” The line was notable not just for its praise, but for how directly it ran against a long-running view of Trump as a leader who absorbs much of his information through television rather than reading.
The reaction came quickly. Gavin Newsom responded on X with a mocking post that read, “DONALD TRUMP IS THE MOST WELL-READ PERSON IN THE ROOM? WHO ELSE IS IN THAT ROOM? TWO ROCKS, A JELLY DONUT, AND LEAVITT?” Miles Taylor also pushed back, saying that when he was briefing Trump in 2017, the first advice he got was that Trump does not read. Taylor said, “Bring pictures,” and added, “Only try to impress one thing on him. And if there has to be words, single page only.”
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Leavitt’s comments fit a familiar pattern. She has repeatedly defended Trump and his controversial policies, and she and Pam Bondi have often been called out online for their strong support of the president and his agenda. During press conferences, Leavitt has also acted as a barrier and helped Trump deflect tough questions, a role that has made her one of the most visible voices in his orbit.
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What makes this latest exchange matter is that it lands in the middle of an old argument that Trump has never quite shaken: whether he reads deeply or prefers to get his information in other ways. Leavitt chose to answer that question with certainty. Her critics answered just as fast, and far less kindly.
