White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt returned to the briefing room on Thursday and immediately faced sharp questions from reporters about President Donald Trump’s ongoing, unfounded assertions regarding the 2020 election.
Leavitt gave her first White House briefing since taking several months of maternity leave on July 16, and reporters repeatedly pressed her to explain why Trump continues to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential race, despite courts, recounts, and audits having rejected claims that widespread fraud altered the outcome.
The most heated moment came when NBC News Chief White House Correspondent Garrett Haake asked why Trump keeps returning to the election he lost to former President Joe Biden.
“The 2020 election has had dozens of recounts, lawsuits, audits,” Haake said. “The 2024 election is widely believed to be safe and secure. There’s not really any question about that.”
Before he could finish, Leavitt cut him off.
“Because it was too big to rig. A massive amount of votes for this president. That’s why he’s in the Oval Office right now,” she replied.
Haake pushed back.
“No one disputes that. And there were a significant amount of votes for Joe Biden, who won in 2020. I think the question is, why is the president unable to let this go?”
Later that evening, Trump delivered a prime-time address in which he asserted that fresh declassified information about China’s alleged meddling in the 2020 race would be revealed.
Leavitt defended Trump’s continued attention to the election.
“I think part of the issue is that the media has refused to acknowledge that tens of millions of Americans nationwide share the president’s concerns about the integrity of our elections,” she said, accusing Haake of drawing conclusions before hearing Trump’s speech.
Claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election have repeatedly been rejected by federal and state courts, election officials, recounts, and audits. Several investigations found no evidence that fraud influenced the outcome, which Biden won.
Leavitt also urged reporters to watch Trump’s address, insisting the president’s assertions would be supported by evidence.
“You should report on the findings that he’s going to reveal in this speech with a little bit of honesty and a little bit of integrity,” she said. “Everything he is saying will be backed by facts and by evidence.”
The questions did not stop there.
CNN Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins noted that Trump has been back in office for more than a year and asked why, if the evidence was so compelling, no one had been charged.
“If what he says tonight is backed up by evidence, why hasn’t anyone been charged?” Collins asked.
Danielle Brooks
I am a staff writer at New York Beacon, where I focus on culture, entrepreneurship, and the emerging voices redefining Black America. My work highlights innovators, artists, and founders whose stories often unfold beyond mainstream headlines but shape communities in meaningful ways. Through precise reporting and thoughtful storytelling, I aim to document progress, challenge narratives, and contribute to a stronger Black press tradition.