White House Press Secretary Mocked for Claiming Trump Is 'Best-Read Person'

Karoline Leavitt's comments about her boss' reading habits have drawn widespread ridicule.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 12:18pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A vibrant, fragmented painting featuring a hand holding a newspaper, with the pages repeating and distorting in waves of color, conceptually representing the complexities of political discourse and the media landscape.A fractured, abstract painting captures the chaotic nature of political rhetoric and the media's role in shaping public perception.Today in Miami

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has been heavily criticized for claiming that her boss, former President Donald Trump, is the 'best-read person' she knows. Leavitt made the comments at a Turning Point USA event, saying Trump 'doesn't miss a story' and is 'always reading the papers and watching the TV.' However, numerous reports have suggested that Trump has a well-known dislike for reading and often skips intelligence briefings.

Why it matters

Leavitt's comments highlight the ongoing debate around Trump's relationship with the media and his apparent aversion to substantive information. As a high-profile administration official, her effusive praise of Trump's reading habits has been widely mocked, further fueling perceptions of the former president's detachment from reality and the administration's tendency towards sycophancy.

The details

During the Turning Point USA event, Leavitt told the audience that she tries to be the 'most well-read person in the room' every day, but is consistently outdone by Trump. She claimed the former president 'doesn't miss a story' and is 'always reading the papers and watching the TV.' However, numerous reports have contradicted Leavitt's claims, with one 2018 Washington Post article stating that Trump 'won't read anything' and 'gets up halfway through meetings with world leaders because he is bored.'

  • Leavitt made the comments at a Turning Point USA event in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, April 3, 2026.

The players

Karoline Leavitt

The 28-year-old White House Press Secretary under former President Donald Trump.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, known for his dislike of reading and tendency to skip intelligence briefings.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Had I been drinking anything I would have spit it out from laughing... Leavitt is beyond hope.”

— Martina Navratilova, Former tennis world No. 1

“This shameless a---kissing is even more pathetic since Trump was quoted as saying, 'I always like to hang around with losers, actually, because it makes me feel better.'”

— Melanie D'Arrigo, Executive director of the New York Health Act campaign

“Karoline Leavitt has said many ridiculous things since she became press secretary, but 'Donald Trump is always the most well-read person in the room' is unquestionably the most ridiculous.”

— James Surowiecki, Author

The takeaway

Leavitt's comments about Trump's reading habits have been widely mocked, further highlighting the ongoing debate around the former president's relationship with the media and his apparent aversion to substantive information. This episode underscores the administration's tendency towards sycophancy and the need for greater transparency and accountability from public officials.