Another day, another round of negative coverage about President Donald Trump and his administration from major media outlets — and another pushback from the White House.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has repeatedly criticized media reports suggesting turmoil within the administration, arguing that many of the stories rely on speculation rather than confirmed developments.
Over the past several months, news reports have predicted possible departures from the Cabinet, including speculation about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The administration did make one significant personnel change when Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was removed from the role on March 5. However, Noem remains involved with the administration as a special envoy for the Shield of the Americas initiative.
The latest report drawing attention came from Politico, which cited sources saying two Cabinet members were struggling with aspects of their roles and that President Trump is supposedly frustrated with them:
President Donald Trump once pledged his incoming “energy dominance” team would bring about a golden age of American prosperity and global peace.
Now, 15 months later, the Trump administration’s self-described “Tiger Team” led by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright appears flummoxed by the surge in global oil prices in the wake of the U.S. attack on Iran and is scrambling to head off a bout of energy-driven inflation.
Politico does not provide much evidence to support its claims, often depending instead on rumors from alleged White House insiders and the opinions of discontented individuals who are not part of the administration. Both Wright and Burgum have appeared completely unbothered by recent events and hearings, frequently appearing in public to promote the success of the administration’s policies.
Trump's energy ‘tiger team’ struggles to find its roar with Iran https://t.co/udULOxAzqx
— POLITICO (@politico) March 11, 2026
Leavitt lit the outlet up on X:
This story from Politico is laughably false.
Both Secretary Wright and Secretary Burgum have been a constant presence at the White House since Operation Epic Fury.I was literally just on Air Force One with President Trump watching Secretary Wright on television, and the… pic.twitter.com/pUeby5Fs1s
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 12, 2026
This story from Politico is laughably false.
Both Secretary Wright and Secretary Burgum have been a constant presence at the White House since Operation Epic Fury.
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.
There is nobody more qualified to lead in this critical moment, and to implement President Trump’s American energy dominance agenda.
Politico continues to prove they are garbage gossip trash fueled by cowardly anonymous sources.
Call it what you want — game over, decisive win, point made.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded forcefully to the latest media claims about turmoil inside the Trump administration, pushing back against what the White House says are inaccurate reports.
For years, critics on the right have argued that large national news organizations had wide latitude to shape political narratives with limited pushback, particularly during the presidencies of Barack Obama and Joe Biden. They say the media environment has shifted in recent years with the growth of conservative outlets and changes in social media platforms.
The acquisition of X by Elon Musk, along with the expansion of right-leaning media sites like USA Journal, has created a more combative information landscape in which reporters and commentators face quicker public rebuttals.
Leavitt, at 28, one of the youngest press secretaries in recent history, has made aggressive responses to media coverage a hallmark of her approach. Maybe someday soon lefty outlets will learn that publishing unsubstantiated ‘news’ will earn them her wrath.
