Karoline Leavitt slams AP reporter for ‘clearly’ failing to grasp Trump’s tariff plan after heated exchange

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Associated Press reporter Josh Boak of “failing” to see President Trump’s “long-term economic strategy” in a Sunday interview, days after he sparred with her over tariffs during a press briefing.

“He [Boak] clearly fails to see President Trump’s long-term economic strategy, which is to bring in so much revenue, so much wealth into our country through tariffs, that we can give larger tax cuts to the American people to put more money back into their pockets,” Leavitt told Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures.”

Leavitt’s comments came after Tuesday’s press briefing, when Boak asked about Trump’s address at the Business Roundtable (BRT) quarterly meeting that was slated to occur shortly after. 

KAROLINE LEAVITT SHUTS DOWN AP REPORTER AFTER ‘INSULTING’ QUESTION ON TARIFFS

He claimed that despite Trump touting tax cuts during his last BRT meeting in 2024, he is now pushing “tax hikes” through tariffs.

Boak pressed further despite Leavitt’s objection, saying, “I’m curious why he is prioritizing that over tax cuts.” 

“He is actually not implementing tax hikes,” Leavitt responded. “Tariffs are a tax hike on foreign countries that, again, have been ripping us off. Tariffs are a tax cut for the American people, and the president is a staunch advocate of tax cuts.” 

The spat escalated when Boak insisted that importers, not foreign companies, bear the brunt of tariffs, asking, “I’m sorry, have you paid a tariff? Because I have.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS SAYS IT WAS BARRED FROM OVAL OFFICE OVER USE OF ‘GULF OF MEXICO’

Leavitt fired back, calling it “insulting” for Boak to try “to test [her] knowledge of economics and the decisions that [Trump] has made.”

Revisiting the spat on Sunday, Leavitt called out the broader mainstream media for focusing on “sensationalism… rather than asking tough questions with honest integrity and journalistic curiosity.”

“That’s why the trust in the mainstream media has fallen to record lows, and that’s why, at the White House, we are very proud of the changes that we have made to the briefing room and also to the press coverage of this president, welcoming in independent voices and new media who truly care about the truth, honesty and accuracy.” 

Fox News’ Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.