White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt faced criticism this week for claiming President Donald Trump is the most transparent and accessible president in American history. Critics quickly highlighted examples that challenge this assertion.
On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, Leavitt made the statement on the social media platform X. The day before, Trump invited reporters into the Oval Office as he signed executive orders addressing flag burning and cashless bail.
The claim drew swift pushback from critics who pointed to several areas where Trump has not provided transparency. Social media users noted unfulfilled promises regarding the release of Jeffrey Epstein files, Trump’s tax returns, complete medical records, and transcripts from meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The focus of the criticism was particularly on the Epstein files, which Trump and his allies have repeatedly promised to release but remain undisclosed. Critics also mentioned the absence of White House visitor logs, Mar-a-Lago visitor logs, and Trump’s academic records from the Wharton School.
Questions about Trump’s health have persisted, with observers noting mysterious bruises on both of the president’s hands. When asked about a bruise on Trump’s left hand seen in a golf video over the weekend, Leavitt provided an explanation similar to previous responses about markings on his right hand. She stated that Trump meets more Americans and shakes more hands daily than any other president in history, attributing this to his frequent public interactions.
The White House had previously offered a medical explanation for bruising on Trump’s right hand, citing soft-tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and aspirin use. However, the location of the left-hand bruise has raised questions about whether handshaking alone could account for such markings.
Beyond the transparency claims, Leavitt has been involved in several other controversies recently. She engaged in a public dispute with former Biden press secretary Jen Psaki following a deadly shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on August 27, 2025, where two children were killed and more than a dozen were wounded.
After Psaki dismissed thoughts and prayers as insufficient responses to school shootings, Leavitt defended the role of prayer during a White House briefing. She described Psaki’s comments as incredibly insensitive and disrespectful to millions of Americans of faith who believe in prayer’s power, particularly during times of mourning when children were killed while praying in a church.
Leavitt also drew attention for sharing an Instagram post from “The Conservateur,” a conservative lifestyle magazine, initially appearing to offer prayers for the Minneapolis shooting victims. However, the full post contained a second slide blaming “demonic forces” for the shooting and referencing the shooter’s transgender identity, linking it to what the post called progressive leadership and policies.
In another recent incident, Leavitt clashed with New York Times chief White House correspondent Peter Baker over a story about restaurant reservations in Washington, D.C. She accused Baker of sharing misleading information that compared last year’s Restaurant Week data to non-Restaurant Week data from this year, calling him indistinguishable from a junior Democratic communications staffer but worse at his job.
The 28-year-old press secretary, who is Trump’s fifth overall and the only one from his second term, continues to face scrutiny over her defense of the administration’s policies and actions. She has also been the subject of commentary regarding Trump’s own remarks about her appearance, which some observers described as inappropriate.
Despite various controversies, Leavitt maintains her role as the administration’s primary spokesperson, regularly defending Trump’s positions during White House briefings and on social media. Her tenure has been marked by combative exchanges with reporters and frequent disputes with media figures over coverage of the administration.
