Tensions between The Associated Press and the White House flared up again Tuesday when White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt lashed out at an AP reporter for attempting to test her understanding of economics.
The AP reporter, Josh Boak, said in his question that President Trump campaigned on and prioritized tax cuts during the election, but that his proposed tariffs are nothing more than tax hikes on the American people, a premise with which Ms. Leavitt disagreed.
“He’s actually not implementing tax hikes. Tariffs are a tax hike on foreign countries that, again, have been ripping us off. Tariffs are a tax cut for the American people, and the president is a staunch advocate of tax cuts,” she told Mr. Boak. “As you know, he campaigned on no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime, no taxes on Social Security benefits. He is committed to all three of those things, and he expects Congress to pass them later.”
Mr. Boak then asked her, “I’m sorry, but have you ever paid a tariff? Because I have. They don’t get charged on companies. They get charged on the imports.”
Ms. Leavitt shot back, “And ultimately, when we have fair and balanced trade, which the American people have not seen in decades, revenues will stay here, wages will go up, and our country will be made wealthy again.”
“And I think it’s insulting that you’re trying to test my knowledge of economics and the decisions that this president has made, I now regret giving a question to The Associated Press,” she said.
The tense back-and-forth illustrated the frosty relationship that has developed between the White House and the wire service since it was barred from some press events.
Although the White House has frozen out the AP from press events over the outlet’s refusal to refer to the formerly named Gulf of Mexico as the newly named “Gulf of America” in its influential Stylebook used by American news organizations across the country, Ms. Leavitt called on the wire service during Tuesday’s press briefing.
Ms. Leavitt had not called on AP’s reporters during press briefings since the outlet was banned from other press events with the president several weeks ago.
A federal judge last month declined to reinstate AP’s previous broader access at the White House. He set an expedited schedule and ordered arguments on a preliminary injunction for March 20.
