Trump to speak to media after White House criticises Israel’s Doha strike

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Image source, Reuters

We’re restarting our coverage now as we expect President Trump to answer more questions at an event happening soon.

In a press briefing a few hours earlier, Karoline Leavitt’s questions highlighted what seems to be the White House’s strategy to move on from the issue – to go on the attack.

For now, the White House’s communications strategy is to dismiss it as a “hoax” and a “narrative” by the Democrats to hurt Trump politically.

So far, it appears to be working, at least for large parts of Trump’s base.

Since news of the publication of those documents broke yesterday, several prominent names in the wider “Maga-sphere” – including Charlie Kirk, Laura Loomer and podcaster Benny Johnson – have amplified the White House’s position that the story is “fake”.

While some conservative media outlets have covered the documents at length, many have instead focused on Bill Clinton’s note to Epstein.

Overall, Leavitt left the briefing without facing any particularly difficult questions on the topic, with many reporters focused on the administration’s law and order drive and immigration – issues that Trump sees as “winners” among his supporters.