Karoline Leavitt, the outgoing White House press secretary, is the embodiment of a presidency unleashed, with little regard for truth or transparency.
Over three decades working in Washington, I have dealt with 20 White House press secretaries, from Dee Dee Myers, the first woman to hold the job, to Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the job and Trump’s fifth press secretary as president. Reporters expect press secretaries to put the best possible gloss on an administration’s policies. But they’re also supposed to provide information that helps reporters accurately explain what the White House is doing.
Under Trump, the role of the White House press secretary has been diminished almost to the point of meaninglessness. Trump often acts as his own spokesman, spewing lies in constant encounters with reporters and in his frequent social media posts. In his first term, his third press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, never even held a formal press briefing. Leavitt, for her part, has shamelessly echoed the president’s favorite falsehoods.
Spin is part of the job. Outright lying is not.
This is a preview of a column by Glenn Kessler. Read the full column here.
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Ross Douthat called “peak woke” a “McCarthyite experience.” But political witch hunts fill Trump’s second term. Read more.
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Car-seat deaths happens alarmingly often, to parents from all walks of life — presenting a moral dilemma for law enforcement. Read more.
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Haverford College settled a lawsuit with a landmark agreement to confront antisemitism on campus and ensure Jewish safety. Read more.
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A reporter noted family members are “concerned about the conditions” on the ship. “No, they’re not,” the president replied, denying reality. Read more.
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Jeane Weigel of Truchas, New Mexico, writes:
Regarding Hunter Woodall’s Aug. 12 news analysis, “A veteran Democratic congressman lost Tuesday. He’s not the only one to go down this election cycle.”
I am so grateful for this new trend. Since too many members of Congress seem hell-bent on clinging to office well past retirement age, they need to be forced out. Not only are older establishment politicians getting up in years, but they’re also woefully out of date with what the country wants.
You can read the rest of Jeane Weigel’s letter here, where you’ll also find submissions from MS NOW readers Quinn Eurich and Jervis D. Swannack. To send your own letter to the editor, review our submission guidelines and use this form.
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Tonight, in the first installment of “The Deep End with Brandy Zadrozny,” Brandy traces the conspiracy theories that arose from Charlie Kirk’s death and how the movement built on these theories turned on itself. Watch “Who Killed Charlie Kirk? How Conspiracy Theories Sparked a MAGA Civil War” tonight at 7 p.m. ET on MS NOW.
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Don’t miss the chance to attend “Together in Texas: We the People 2026,” our annual live community event. As the country heads toward the 2026 midterm elections, we’re bringing conversations with top newsmakers and insights from your favorite MS NOW hosts to the place at the center of it all: Texas. Buy your tickets today.
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Have you ever wanted to share your opinions with MS NOW about our TV programs, podcasts, newsletters, app, website or live events? Now is the chance to have your voice heard! Join the MS NOW Insights Community.
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SATURDAY
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MS NOW’s “Alex Witt Reports” at 1 p.m. ET: Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.)... Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) MS NOW’s “PoliticsNation” at 5 p.m. ET: Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.)... State Sen. and Gubernatorial Candidate Cindy Holscher (D-Kan.)... Gubernatorial Candidate David Jolly (D-Fla.)
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