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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt lashed out at Politico on social media Wednesday over a report published about President Donald Trump’s address to the nation about the war in Iran.
“This story was based on ‘six people familiar with the planning,’ and I am sure none of them actually read the President’s speech before it was delivered. Politico did not even reach out to the White House for comment. Another example of why you should not blindly trust what you read from the legacy media. This is what they do – call up random sources who just make things up, and then they report it as fact,” Leavitt said on X.
Politico’s article, headlined, “‘I came, I saw, I conquered:’ Trump set to claim victory in Iran at primetime address,” was published Wednesday, before Trump’s speech. Politico did not immediately respond to Digital’s request for comment.
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Leavitt has called out several media outlets over coverage of the war in Iran, including CNN in early March.
The press secretary forcefully rejected a CNN report that said Trump’s national security team was unprepared for the possibility Iran would move to close the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. strikes.
“This story is 100% FAKE NEWS,” Leavitt wrote on X, accusing CNN of relying on anonymous sources and defending the administration’s planning for such a scenario.
Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, conducts a press briefing on Monday, March 30, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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Leavitt said the Pentagon had planned for a possible Iranian closure of the strait for decades and the threat had been part of the administration’s planning before Operation Epic Fury began.
“The idea that chairman Cain and Secretary Hegseth weren’t prepared for this possibility is PREPOSTEROUS,” she continued.
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Trump told Americans Wednesday night that after 32 days of Operation Epic Fury, Iran is “essentially really no longer a threat” and that it was nearing completion.
The president also acknowledged increased gas prices since the war began, and expressed confidence that those increases are “short term.”
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The average price of a gallon of gas surpassed $4 Tuesday, a first since 2022.
‘ Kristine Parks contributed to this report.
