A tense White House press briefing on December 11, 2025, saw Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt engage in a sharp back-and-forth with CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins, highlighting ongoing debates about economic performance under President Donald Trump. The discussion centered on inflation rates, the affordability crisis, and accusations of inconsistent media scrutiny between administrations.
The exchange began when Collins pressed Leavitt on Trump’s recent remarks during a speech in Pennsylvania. Trump had suggested Americans might need to adjust their spending habits amid tariff policies, commenting that parents don’t need “37 dolls for your daughter,” proposing “two or three is nice” to emphasize buying American-made products.
Collins questioned the messaging, asking, “If the economy is as strong as the President says it is, then why is he telling parents two weeks before Christmas that they should only buy two or three dolls for their children?”
Leavitt defended the president’s stance, arguing that tariffs would boost domestic production and quality, even if it meant paying “a dollar or two more.” She emphasized that supporting American manufacturing aligns with Trump’s economic vision, stating, “You will get better quality and you will be supporting your fellow Americans by buying American and that’s what the President was saying.”
She further claimed that every economic metric shows improvement under Trump, including falling inflation and gas prices, and that the administration is “digging our country out of the economic hole that the previous administration put us in.”
The conversation escalated as Collins noted mixed signals in the economy, such as rising grocery prices, and challenged Leavitt on inflation figures. Leavitt asserted that Trump inherited a 2.9% inflation rate in January 2025, which has since dropped to 2.5%, down from a peak of 9% under the Biden administration. She contrasted this with Trump’s first term, where inflation fell from 2.9% to 1.7%.
Collins countered that “nobody is saying it wasn’t high under Biden,” but Leavitt interrupted, accusing the media of failing to report on Biden-era inflation adequately.
Leavitt then directed pointed criticism at her predecessor, Karine Jean-Pierre, and the press corps. “My predecessor stood up at this podium and she said, ‘Inflation doesn’t exist.’ She said ‘The border was secure,’” Leavitt said. “People like you just took her at her word and those were two utter lies.” She added, “Everything I’m telling you is the truth backed by real, factual data and you just don’t want to report on it because you want to push untrue narratives about the president.”
Leavitt highlighted what she described as a double standard, noting, “Nobody reported it being high under Biden… But now you want to ask me a lot of questions about it, which I’m happy to answer, but I will just add there’s a lot more scrutiny on this issue from this press corps than there was.” When Collins attempted a follow-up, Leavitt firmly declined, saying, “I’m not gonna take your follow-up.”
The briefing also touched on broader media issues, with Leavitt linking the clash to Trump’s recent comments about CNN’s potential sale. Amid an ongoing takeover battle for Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company—with bids from Netflix at $83 billion and Paramount at $108 billion—Trump had criticized CNN’s leadership as “either corrupt or incompetent” due to declining viewership.
Leavitt echoed this, stating, “Their viewership has gone down, their ratings have declined and I think the president rightfully believes that network would benefit from new ownership.” She tied the exchange directly to these remarks, saying, “I think the President’s comments yesterday about the sale of CNN and new leadership is evidenced by my exchange with the CNN reporter in this room.”
This confrontation underscores the Trump administration’s ongoing tensions with mainstream media outlets, particularly over economic narratives. While Leavitt touted achievements like wage increases of up to $1,200 for average workers and declining energy costs, critics, including some economic analyses, have pointed out that inflation remains around 3% based on the Consumer Price Index, with year-over-year rates showing minimal decline.
The exchange has sparked widespread discussion on social media, with supporters praising Leavitt’s assertiveness and detractors accusing her of misleading comparisons. As the administration approaches its first year, such briefings may continue to serve as a flashpoint.
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