Karoline Leavitt’s Bold Swipe at CNN During New White House Event: “Just Saying”
Karoline Leavitt didn’t hold back during the launch of a new White House initiative — taking a br:u:tal shot at CNN and legacy media outlets during what she described as a celebration of new media voices.
The 27-year-old former press secretary and rising political figure introduced the White House Podcast Row, an inaugural event bringing together high-profile podcast hosts and alternative media personalities. Held on the White House grounds, the event was designed to foster dialogue between new media and key members of the administration.
“I bet the people in that room have more viewers than CNN and the legacy media,” Karoline quipped, standing confidently beside a sign for the event in a sky-blue dress.
“Just saying. We’re proud to welcome them to the White House.”
A Shift Toward Alternative Media
The event was hosted inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, adjacent to the White House, where podcast hosts and media crews set up interviews with members of the White House communications team, Cabinet officials, and political insiders.
Among the podcasters invited were conservative commentators like Michael Knowles (Daily Wire), Jack Posobiec (Human Events), Dr. Drew Pinsky, Sage Steele, and War Room’s Natalie Winters. Also in attendance were independent voices like David Freiheit and NewsNation’s Libbey Dean.
Speaking to DailyMail.com, White House Deputy Communications Director Kaelan Dorr praised the event’s success:
“Our inaugural Podcast Row at the White House was a rousing success.”
He added that the Biden administration had largely sidelined independent outlets, effectively freezing out alternative media platforms — a stark contrast to the more open-door approach now being embraced.
A Not-So-Subtle CNN Dig
Karoline’s jab at CNN during the event wasn’t her first swipe at the network. Just days earlier, she sparred with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins during a tense White House press briefing.
Collins had pressed Karoline with a pointed question about controversial communications involving National Security advisors and the fallout from a report tied to Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg.
“Since we have these messages released… and at one point Pete had wrote ‘1415 strike drones on target’…,” Collins asked before being cut off.
Karoline, clearly frustrated, responded sharply:
“I’ve now been asked and answered this question three times by both of you,” she said, motioning to another reporter.
“The president feels the same as he did yesterday.” She then refused to take any further questions from Collins.
Karoline’s Media Strategy: Disruption with a Smile
Leavitt’s approach has been unapologetically bold, and her embrace of new media as a legitimate platform reflects a larger shift in political communications. With traditional cable news viewership declining and podcasts growing exponentially, events like Podcast Row signal a changing media landscape — one where voices once labeled “fringe” are increasingly central to political discourse.
And Karoline knows exactly what she’s doing. Her cheeky CNN comparison wasn’t just a throwaway line — it was a calculated message about where the next generation of media power lies.
Conclusion: The Rise of the New Media Era
With events like Podcast Row, Karoline Leavitt and her team are making it clear: they’re not just playing by the old rules of media engagement — they’re rewriting them.
Her jab at CNN may ruffle feathers in the establishment press, but for a growing number of Americans turning to podcasts and independent outlets, it’s a sign that the White House is finally tuning in to a different frequency.
And if Karoline has her way, the “legacy media” might just become the story — instead of the source.