White House Press Secretary Leavitt Slams Politico Report on Trump Cabinet Struggles

Leavitt refutes claims of Cabinet members being "flummoxed" and says Politico relies on "garbage gossip trash" from anonymous sources.

Published on Mar. 12, 2026

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has strongly pushed back against a Politico report that claimed two members of President Trump's Cabinet, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, were struggling with their responsibilities. Leavitt dismissed the Politico story as "laughably false" and said both Cabinet secretaries have been a "constant presence" at the White House and have the full support of the President.

Why it matters

This clash between the White House and the mainstream media outlet Politico highlights the ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and left-leaning media outlets that are often accused of liberal bias. Leavitt's forceful response demonstrates the administration's willingness to aggressively counter narratives they view as inaccurate or unfair.

The details

The Politico report suggested that Wright and Burgum, who lead Trump's "energy dominance" team, were "flummoxed" by the surge in global oil prices following the U.S. attack on Iran. However, Leavitt refuted these claims, stating that both Cabinet secretaries have been regularly appearing in public to tout the success of the administration's policies. Leavitt also said the President was "couldn't be happier" with Wright and Burgum's leadership in implementing the "American energy dominance agenda."

  • On March 12, 2026, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to the Politico report.
  • The Politico report was published on March 11, 2026.

The players

Karoline Leavitt

The 28-year-old White House Press Secretary who forcefully pushed back against the Politico report and defended the Trump administration's Cabinet members.

Chris Wright

The Energy Secretary who Leavitt said has been a "constant presence" at the White House and has the full support of President Trump.

Doug Burgum

The Interior Secretary who Leavitt said has been a "constant presence" at the White House and has the full support of President Trump.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States who Leavitt said was "couldn't be happier" with the leadership of Secretaries Wright and Burgum.

Politico

The mainstream media outlet that published the report claiming Cabinet members were "flummoxed" that Leavitt dismissed as "garbage gossip trash."

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What they’re saying

“I was literally just on Air Force One with President Trump watching Secretary Wright on television, and the President was saying he couldn't be happier with both Doug and Chris.”

— Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary (Twitter)

“There is nobody more qualified to lead in this critical moment, and to implement President Trump's American energy dominance agenda.”

— Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary (Twitter)

“Politico continues to prove they are garbage gossip trash fueled by cowardly anonymous sources.”

— Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary (Twitter)

What’s next

The White House is expected to continue pushing back against media reports that are critical of the Trump administration and its Cabinet members.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and left-leaning media outlets, as well as the White House's willingness to aggressively counter narratives they view as inaccurate or unfair. It also demonstrates the growing influence of conservative voices, like Press Secretary Leavitt, in pushing back against perceived media bias.