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March 17, 2025 - The Benny Show - Benny Johnson
55:33
🚨 White House Press Briefing LIVE Right Now: Karoline Leavitt vs. Fake News as Fauci in PANIC
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b
benny johnson
14:54
k
karoline leavitt
24:33
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kayleigh mcenany
01:07
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p
peter doocy
00:48
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Speaker Time Text
kayleigh mcenany ▲ ● ▼
Polls do not look good.
They paint a brutal reality for Democrats while President Trump is soaring to new highs.
Both of these entities setting records.
So first, the Democrats.
A new NBC News poll shows just 27% of voters have a positive view of the Democratic Party.
That's the lowest positive rating in the last 35 years of NBC polling.
And when you hop on over to CNN, they found that just 29% of voters see the party in a positive light.
Now, that, too, is the lowest ever in CNN polling going back 30 years.
Two historic lows for Democrats.
President Trump, it's the opposite.
He is surging.
NBC found that Trump's job approval rating at 47%, plus his personable favorable rating at 46%, and also...
A 44% number of Americans who believe the country is on the right track combined to beat three all-time, all-record highs for President Trump's political career in the history of NBC's polling.
unidentified
Not a yes, sir.
Not a follower.
Fit the box, fit the mold, have a seat for you.
The number.
I was lightning before the thunder.
Thunder, thunder.
Lightning and the thunder.
benny johnson ▲ ● ▼
That was really good.
I was not expecting that.
That was a very good Caroline Levitt meme, Jerry.
That's my new favorite.
The other one was very good, too, but that's my new favorite.
Here we go.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the live shot of the White House press briefing room right now.
There is no Caroline Levitt at the dais.
However, she's due imminently.
So Carolyn Levitt will be answering questions on this great St. Patrick's Day.
She's already been palling around with Conor McGregor.
Conor McGregor was at the podium.
I know we have clips of that.
This is a very interesting moment because there are a number of scandals that I really hope that Carolyn Levitt is asked about because they have directly to do with the press.
This is a...
Just a short clip.
This is a live shot right now.
This was happening earlier.
Conor McGregor blasts Irish government from the White House press room from Klein!
Ladies and gentlemen, go follow Klein.
This is Killer Klein.
Klein Wong on our program.
A man who's never Wong.
This is Conor McGregor just sort of like holding court in an impromptu session here at the White House.
Listen, if the delay is long enough, then maybe we'll go to this clip.
Maybe we should load that clip and get ready.
But the scandal that I want to talk about, and you can see here, the live shot, all the reporters are seated, as we regularly talk about as somebody who's been a reporter in this room and has asked questions at White House press briefings.
When Sean Spicer was the press secretary, that's how old I am.
When the front seat and front row gets seated, these are the corporate media reporters.
These are the ones you want to watch.
They have little earpieces in.
They get notifications as to when you're going to go live.
So you always want to, like, make sure that you...
Is that them?
No, it's just a random dude walking out.
Another random dude.
Okay, checking the monitors.
unidentified
Okay.
benny johnson ▲ ● ▼
Looks like they're going to have photos of Donald Trump smoking terrorists.
Good.
I like the use of visuals for these things.
The use of visuals are spectacular.
So you would have to assume since the White House press has been extremely active today, they've already been doing like pseudo-press conferences, but they'll be out in just a moment.
You hate to break away and miss it because she comes marching out there and she's very quick, Carolyn Levitt.
What I wanted, and I really hope that she is asked about, is the snatching and shredding of the press pass.
For the reporter, read activist from NPR, who hates President Trump, who smashed him in the face with a microphone.
As far as I know, this was a mistake.
Also, what I know is that this has never happened before.
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to pop this up right here.
Clint, can you pop up the window?
We can talk through this.
This is the moment where Donald Trump, Late Friday, so we didn't get a chance to cover it live on the show.
We talked about it a little bit in the stream that we just wrapped.
And this is something that is directly in Carolyn Levitt's wheelhouse.
How does a reporter smash the president in the face with a microphone?
Somebody interviewed this reporter, NPR reporter, right here.
Her name's Danielle Kutzlieben, NPR journalist, who purposely hit Trump in the face with a microphone.
Should have her White House clearance revoked immediately.
Shouldn't be allowed to hear the president again.
Let's, like, establish something that's, I think, very important.
Don't ever approach the president.
Don't touch the president.
It's not exactly like royalty, right?
Don't touch the queen.
Not exactly like that, but if you touch the president or if you walk towards the president in any way that is seen as anything other than, like, the president welcoming you into what's called the bubble.
Right?
That's how the president does a selfie line that's called the bubble.
unidentified
Right?
benny johnson ▲ ● ▼
You're vetted.
Everyone's vetted.
You're going to get put down, man.
And I don't want that to happen to you.
If you hit the president, that's seen as an attack.
If you hit him in the face.
So how has Danielle Kutzleben not been stripped of her credential and criminally charged at this point?
She's not allowed to do this.
Danielle Kutzleben has a long history of anti-Trump.
I'm not going to try and insinuate her motive here, because I don't think that's appropriate, but she is the person holding this microphone.
This is the microphone that did hit Donald Trump.
This is called a closed pool, so there's very few reporters here.
And I think, I don't exactly know, but I think that might be Carolyn Lovett right there.
I'm not sure.
But...
The way that they've treated the Associated Press, the way that they've treated reporters who have obviously gone off the reservation, this White House, I would expect some major consequences here for Daniel Kuzliven.
I cannot express enough how dangerous this is.
This is like, again, there's a lot of things to talk about.
The deportation flights, the judge's order, we covered a lot of them on the morning stream.
This is an AI.
Okay, this is an AI.
But, okay, okay, calm down, calm down.
But this is actually what happened.
Like, again, I just want to establish there could have been a pathogen on the end of this mic.
There could have been a deadly virus.
There could have been fentanyl.
There could have been anthrax.
There could have been any manner of mutant virus that's being created right now by the deep state.
There's a huge security concern and security failure.
And again, I really hope that...
Carolyn Lovett is asked about.
I think that she's...
No.
Yes.
Maybe.
We'll show you the White House feed right now.
White House feed is just zooming in.
There we go.
Okay, here we go.
Let's head on over.
It seems like they're getting started.
They just did a tight zoom in on the press dais and then a zoom out.
I see some green being worn here.
Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of you.
This is the question that I would ask.
Were I in the new media seat?
Will we be in the new media seat?
We hope so!
We've taken our family to the White House Easter egg roll soon.
And maybe then.
But let's say that I were the new media chair today.
I would say, what's happening to Daniel Kutzleben?
Did the microphone get tested for pathogens or any type of dangerous material?
And what exactly is the security background check protocol for people that can hold massive spears to Donald Trump's face?
And have you thought through that protocol?
Like, meaning, could we do something potentially better given the high threat potential for President Trump?
Looks like this was a...
It looks like this might have been a false alarm.
Anyway, let's go back just really quickly.
I just want to, like, establish.
I just want to establish something.
So this is President Trump walking out.
This is Danielle Kuzliven right there.
And then what you can see here is Trump getting hit in the face.
And this is, there you go.
Why isn't there, in this scenario, why isn't there, like, Secret Service in front of the press?
That's what I would argue in favor of.
Here's Carolyn Levitt.
Hope she gets asked about it.
Let's go.
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Good afternoon.
Happy Monday.
Happy St. Patrick's Day.
I see a lot of us are very festive and now we're green.
Peter Doocy, I like it.
First today, I want to address the devastating tornadoes and storms that have impacted many states throughout the South and the Midwest.
As of this morning, more than 40 innocent lives have been lost and many communities have been totally destroyed.
The President has been actively monitoring the situation.
And the Trump administration is engaged with governors and local officials to restore affected communities and livelihoods.
Everyone impacted is in our prayers, and President Trump is fully prepared to assist state and local officials as they recover from the horrific damage.
The President has had a very busy weekend, making our country and the world a much safer place.
President Trump ordered decisive military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen.
These Houthi terrorists have engaged in piracy, violence, and terrorism against American ships for years under the Biden administration, costing billions of dollars and putting innocent lives at risk.
Joe Biden's pathetic weakness invited these unacceptable attacks.
But there's a new sheriff in town and his name is Donald Trump.
And the world is officially on notice.
America has a commander in chief whose peace through strength approach is unwavering and should not be tested.
As the president said, no terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing throughout the world.
Houthi terrorists and their Iranian backers should not cross President Trump again.
And the president has made that clear today.
On another important matter.
President Trump signed a proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act regarding the invasion of the United States by the foreign terrorist organization Trenderagua.
At the president's direction, the Department of Homeland Security carried out a counter-terrorism operation deporting nearly 200 violent Trenderagua terrorists, which will save countless American lives.
Thanks to the great work of the Department of State.
These heinous monsters were extracted and removed to El Salvador where they will no longer be able to pose any threats to the American public.
Tran de Aragua is one of the most ruthless terrorist gangs in the world, and they are responsible for some of the most heinous crimes that have occurred in our nation's history in recent years, including the savage murders of beautiful Lakin Riley and Jocelyn Nungray.
President Trump promised Lakin and Jocelyn's families during his campaign that he would demand justice for their beautiful girls, and that's exactly what he did.
As the President acknowledged during his inaugural address on January 20th, he pledged to invoke this act, and he has no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions.
President Trump will continue his historic efforts to seal the border.
And prevent these illegal invaders from coming here in the first place.
As the New York Times is acknowledged over the weekend, President Trump's policies are working.
Here's how the Times summed it up.
Illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border are down to their lowest level in decades.
Once crowded, migrant shelters are empty.
Instead of heading north, people stranded in Mexico are starting to return home in bigger numbers.
The border is almost unrecognizable from just a couple of years ago when hundreds of thousands of people from around the world were crossing into the United States every month in scenes of chaos and upheaval.
This is the Trump effect in action.
And again, those are the words from the New York Times.
We didn't need a border security bill.
We just needed President Trump.
All of these actions taken together are contributing to a wave of optimism about the direction of our great country.
According to brand new polling from NBC News, more registered voters say the United States is heading in the right direction than at any point since early 2004.
Americans support President Trump's common sense approach that's getting our country back on track in record time.
Meanwhile, the president's critics can't say the same.
That same new NBC poll also found that the Democrat Party has reached an all-time low in popularity.
It turns out when you let your hatred of President Trump get in the way of doing what is best for America, the people reject you.
Who would have thought?
Joining us today in our new media seat is Kelly Meyer.
She is a White House correspondent with NewsNation.
NewsNation started in 2021 and is one of America's fastest growing cable news networks with a focus on news for all of America.
It's part of a larger ecosystem.
Nextar, which is home to NewsNation, the political website The Hill, the broadcast network The CW, and local Nextar stations.
With that, kick us off, please, Kelly.
unidentified
Thank you, Caroline.
What do you say to Americans who want safe streets but are concerned due process is being violated?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
The president is using every lever of his executive authority and his constitutional authority within the bounds of the immigration laws of our country to ensure that our streets are safer for law-abiding American citizens.
And this administration is focused on detaining, arresting, and deporting illegal criminal aliens.
And as you saw this past weekend, the president used his authority under the Alien Enemies Act to deport foreign terrorists.
It's a foreign terrorist organization.
And as I said, there were nearly 200 Trende Aragua members who were sent to El Salvador this weekend.
Countless lives will be saved because of this action.
And if you talk to the families, the Angel families, as I mentioned, Blake and Riley and Jocelyn Nungre, they understand the grave cost of life.
At the hands of these illegal terrorists.
And the president is proud to deliver on that promise for them.
unidentified
And just to follow up on that, this will be challenged later today in the courts.
Does the president, you know...
Does this allow him to defy the court order without having the checks and balances and the separation of power?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
No.
In fact, this administration acted within the confines of the law, again, within the president's constitutional authority and under the authority granted to him under the Alien Enemies Act.
We are quite confident in that, and we are wholly confident that we are going to win this case in court.
Peter.
peter doocy ▲ ● ▼
Thank you, Caroline.
If you guys can't send 200 Trendy Aragua terrorists at a time to El Salvador, where are you going to send them instead?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
It's a very good question.
You'd have to ask the courts and the people on the left who are trying to fight this administration for doing the business that this president sought out to do, which is to deport these foreign terrorists.
And we're very grateful to President Bukele and to El Salvador for accepting these heinous monsters where they will face justice.
peter doocy ▲ ● ▼
And if these guys are...
Terrorists at war with the United States.
Is President Trump considering anything more lethal?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Well, it sounded like you had a little bit of curiosity in the premise of your question, so I want to address it.
These are designated foreign terrorists.
The president signed a proclamation on February 20th, 2025, designating TDA as a foreign terrorist organization that was in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Treasury.
That was pursuant to 8 U.S. Code 1189.
The president has the right to do that.
And I think nobody would argue that Tren de Aragua should be designated a foreign terrorist organization.
If you want to have that argument, I'm happy to do it.
These are heinous monsters, rapists, murderers, kidnappers, sexual assaulters, predators, who have no right to be in this country, and they must be held accountable.
peter doocy ▲ ● ▼
And something different.
There is now a member of the European Parliament from France who does not think the U.S. represents the values of the Statue of Liberty anymore.
They want the Statue of Liberty back.
So is President Trump going to send the Statue of Liberty back to France?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Absolutely not.
And my advice to that unnamed, low-level French politician would be to remind them that it's only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now.
So they should be very grateful to our great country.
Kelly.
unidentified
Is the administration prepared to give the court what it wants in terms of the time of the flights that departed, that went to El Salvador, and some of those details that the judge is asking for in trying to determine the timing?
Clearly, the five named individuals were not deported.
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
That's right.
unidentified
But looking more broadly, wanting to know about the timing of flights and so forth, because the verbal order did say turn around the flights if there's an issue.
So is the administration prepared to provide that information?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
I'm prepared to provide it right now.
All of the planes that were subject to the written order, the judge's written order, took off before the order was entered in the courtroom on Saturday.
And the administration will, of course, be happily answering all of those questions that the judge poses in court later today.
unidentified
And for people who have due process questions.
about making certain that there wasn't anyone who was swept up who did not meet the criteria that you laid out.
Is there a way for the administration to provide more detail about how that was determined, who the individuals were that met this?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Yes, I can assure the American people that Customs and Border Patrol and ICE and the Department of Homeland Security are sure about the identities of the individuals who were on these planes and the threat that they pose to our homeland.
They take this incredibly seriously.
They are putting their lives on the line to deport these designated terrorists from our country, and they should be trusted to do that.
And that's exactly what the American people elected this president to do.
unidentified
Thanks, Caroline.
Just to follow up on that, then, so you're saying definitively that the administration can prove everyone that was put on those flights to El Salvador, who's either, remember, Trender, Agua...
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Yeah, we've already provided the breakdown in the effort of transparency about the 261 illegal aliens who were deported.
137 of those were deported under the Alien Enemies Act.
101 of those were Venezuelans removed via Title VIII, which, as you know, are just regular immigration proceedings.
And 23 of them were MS-13 Salvadorian gang members.
There were also two MS-13 ringleaders as part of that group of 23 who president...
Who Kelly particularly expressed his gratitude for their return so he can demand justice in his home country.
unidentified
Jennifer.
What criteria, though, other than, say, tattoos or maybe being in the wrong place at the wrong time, are they using to determine that someone is actually a member of one of these organizations?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Intelligence and the men and women on the ground in the interior of our country who are finally being allowed to do their jobs.
Their hands were tied under the previous administration.
And as I said, they take their jobs very seriously.
They should be trusted and respected by the American public with this operation.
And of course, as I said to Kelly, the administration will provide all details to the questions that the court poses.
Jennifer.
unidentified
One more follow-up on that.
Can you say how much the U.S. is paying El Salvador to imprison these Venezuelans?
And then a different question on Russia.
I was wondering if you could give us an update on the ceasefire negotiations and is there anything you can share?
Sure.
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
To your first question, it was approximately $6 million to El Salvador for the detention of these foreign terrorists.
And I would point out that is pennies on the dollar in comparison to the cost of life and the cost it would impose on the American taxpayer to house these terrorists in maximum security prisons here in the United States of America.
And I would echo the message of our Secretary As for Russia, as you know, the president announced last night on Air Force One on his return from his very busy weekend in Florida that he will be speaking to President Putin tomorrow.
I won't get ahead of those negotiations, but I can say we are on the 10th yard line of peace and we've never been closer to a peace deal than we are in this moment.
And the president, as you know, Is determined to get one done.
Sure.
Caitlin.
unidentified
I have two questions for you.
One on the flights, but first on the president's post overnight, saying that the pardons that were issued by President Biden preemptively to members of the January 6th committee, that they're now null and void.
Have attorneys here at the White House told President Trump that he has the legal authority to undo a pardon simply because it was signed by Autopin, as he said?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
The president was begging the question that I think a lot of journalists in this room should be asking about whether or not the former president of the United States, who I think we can all finally agree was cognitively impaired.
I know it took people some time to finally admit that, but we all know that to be true, as evidenced by his disastrous debate performance against President Trump.
I digress on that.
But the president was raising the point that Did the president even know about these pardons?
Was his legal signature used without his consent or knowledge?
And that's not just the president or me raising those questions, Caitlin.
According to the New York Post, there are Biden officials from the previous White House who raised those questions and wondered if the president was even consulted about his legally binding signature being signed onto documents.
And so I think it's a question that...
Everybody in this room should be looking into because certainly that would propose perhaps criminal or illegal behavior if staff members were signing the President of the United States autograph without his consent.
But was he aware of his signature being used on every single pardon?
That's a question you should ask the Biden White House.
unidentified
Is there any evidence on that?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
You're a reporter.
You should find out.
unidentified
You keep talking about the judge's written order which hit the docket Saturday night at about 7:26 p.m.
But he issued a verbal order before that at about 6:45 and 6:48 p.m. based on the court hearing.
The bench.
Does the White House feel the need to comply with a verbal order from this judge?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Again, as I said, all of the planes subject to the written order of this judge departed U.S. soil, U.S. territory before the judge's written order.
But what about the verbal order which of course carries the same legal weight as a written order and said for the planes to turn around Well, there's actually questions about whether a verbal order carries the same weight as a written order, and our lawyers are determined to ask and answer those questions in court.
Sean.
unidentified
Hey, so on Friday the president suggested at length that it should be illegal to criticize judges, but he has repeatedly criticized judges who rule against him and Elon Musk is calling for Impeachment of judges who have opposed the administration.
So how are those two things not in conflict?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
I have not heard the president talk about impeaching judges.
I know you mentioned Mr. Musk's tweet, but I have not heard the president of the United States ask that.
unidentified
Mary.
Hey, thanks, Caroline.
I wanted to ask about this video I saw this morning set to the tune of, I believe, closing time about deportations of illegal migrants.
What's the strategy behind the White House's videos they've been putting out on this?
And can you kind of talk us through the thinking on these videos?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Sure.
I think the White House and our entire government clearly is leaning into the message of this president.
And we are unafraid to double down and to take responsibility and ownership of the serious decisions that are being made.
The president was elected with an overwhelming mandate to launch the largest Mass deportation campaign in American history.
And that's exactly what he is doing.
And to this very day, we are now, I think, 56 or seven days into the administration, by my count.
The president still receives an overwhelming public support for the policies that he is enacting.
So we are unafraid to message effectively what the president is doing on a daily basis to make our community safer.
And the specific video you referenced, I think it sums up our immigration policy.
You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here.
Go ahead.
unidentified
Thanks, Caroline.
I have two questions.
First, will President Trump put sanctions on Russia if the talks on Tuesday don't go as hoped?
And secondly, have any illegal immigrants self-deported through CBP home yet?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
To your first question, it's something the president has floated, and certainly he's willing to do if necessary.
I don't have anything to read out, and I would never get ahead of the president on such a serious decision.
To your second question about the CBP Home app, I would have to check in with the Department of Homeland Security, but it's a great question, and we're very proud to repurpose this app, which the Biden administration abused to facilitate the mass illegal entry of illegal immigrants into our country.
It was like a fast pass at Disneyland.
That's not happening under...
Under this administration, we are encouraging illegal immigrants to actively self-deport, to maybe save themselves from being in one of these fun videos.
Sure.
John, good to see you.
unidentified
After President Trump strafe bombed the Houthis yesterday, he said that if they retaliate, he was going to personally hold Iran accountable for them.
Holding them accountable, what would that look like?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Well, I would defer you to what the president put out this morning, John, where he said very clearly, I will read it, Let nobody be fooled.
The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, are all created by Iran.
Any further attack or retaliation by the Houthis will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that the force will stop there.
Iran has played the innocent victim of rogue terrorists from which they've lost control, but they haven't lost control.
control.
They are dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated military equipment, and even so-called intelligence.
Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon from this point forward as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of Iran.
And Iran will be held responsible and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will That is a statement from the President of the United States just moments ago.
I have nothing additional to share, but our message to Iran is you bet...
Better take this president seriously, and I think the Houthis learned that the hard way this past weekend.
As I said in my opening remarks, there's a new sheriff in town, and this president is not just going to sit on his hands and allow terrorists to launch attacks on commercial vessels and U.S. naval ships.
Those actions will not be tolerated.
Sure, Edward.
unidentified
Carolyn, on the economy, so after mostly a down week last week in the economy, you know, you've been very vocal as well as other cabinet members about how we're in a transition and about how, you know, this economic transition and there's a plan, a long-term plan for tariffs on this.
How concerned is the president that the markets and Americans, for lack of a better term, will freak out over these tariffs and be concerned about that long-term plan?
Sure.
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
I think I've been asked this question and answered this question respectfully, Edward.
We are in a period of transition.
The president has made that clear.
He also has made his belief in tariffs and what they will do for our great country clear, restoring wealth back to our country.
And if you look at the president's first-term economic formula, massive deregulation, tax cuts, lowering the cost of living with an energy boom, which the American people can expect soon.
Wall Street and Main Street should both be assured.
It's the exact same formula.
In fact, I would argue it's even better this time around.
And if you look at some of the economic indicators in the last week, the latest CPI report last week beat expectations.
Inflation is cooling.
Core inflation dropped for the first time in four months.
The national average of the price of gas is down 42 cents from one year ago.
And there was also a new report out this morning about...
Wholesale egg prices, they continue to fall.
A dozen eggs are now $3.10 cheaper since January 21st.
That's a 47% decrease overall.
So I think the American people do have great reason to be optimistic about this economy.
And as I've said repeatedly, it continues to be true.
The administration has a whole of government effort to fix the economic mess created by Biden.
unidentified
Is the tariff back and forth sort of done now?
We're just all looking towards April 2nd.
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Well, I think the president would tell you that all options are always on the table.
And he's always ready to respond if he feels the United States is being unfairly treated by our allies and also our competitors around the world.
But yes, the April 2nd day is a big day for the country, as the president has said.
Reciprocal tariffs will go into effect.
We'll have more details on that as the date nears.
but our entire trade team, Secretary Lutnick, Secretary Besant, the Vice President has been quite involved in these talks and discussions as well about what that will look like.
And the President, as you always do, you will hear from him directly on it.
Debra Saunders, how are you?
Good, thanks.
unidentified
The former pardon attorney Elizabeth Boyer believes she was fired for refusing to sign off on a move to restore gun rights to act or no citizen.
DOJ's Todd Blanche says no.
But I want to know, is the administration dedicated to restoring gun rights to felons that serve their times?
I ask this because I've talked to people who are pardoned.
They felt that was important.
Of course, this isn't necessarily for a pardon.
What is the president's thinking on this issue?
It's an important question.
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
It is one I have not spoken to the president about on his views, but I will take it to him this afternoon.
I will tell him you asked, and we will get you an answer.
You're welcome.
Jonathan.
unidentified
The administration complying with judges' orders.
I want to ask about an administration spokesperson who's the border czar, Tom Holman.
He was on Fox News.
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
We love Tom Holman.
unidentified
And he was talking about the deportations.
And he said the following.
He said, we're not stopping.
I don't care what the judges think.
Which seems to me, just reading that, that you don't care what orders come from.
The federal bench.
Is that the case?
Can you clarify that, please?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Well, I think since you just quoted Tom, I'll quote Tom.
He said, I don't care what the judges think, but I can assure you that the administration is complying with the court order.
And as I've said repeatedly from this podium, all of the flights that were subject to the judge's written order departed before the written order.
And we are prepared to make that.
unidentified
And then if I could, on Russia, the president, as you pointed out, Carol, I made some remarks on Air Force One coming back from Florida, and he seemed to indicate that the conversation tomorrow concerns essentially dividing up assets, dividing up territory associated with the war in Ukraine.
Has President Zelensky given...
President Trump, that authority?
Is that what is going to take place tomorrow?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Well, as you know, the president and his entire national security team have been engaged directly with President Zelensky and the Ukrainians' team.
And that has been part of the discussion between the president's team and the Ukrainians.
As for where those lines will be drawn or any specifics, I am not going to get into that from this podium.
It would be unwise for me to get ahead of the president's call with President Putin tomorrow.
But again, Again, I can assure you, in the effort of transparency, as this president always does, you will hear from him or one of us directly after that phone call tomorrow.
Reagan.
There's a lot of focus on the judicial branch right now.
unidentified
The president has about 40 judicial appointments that he could make at this moment.
Do you have an update on what the timeline would look like for those judicial appointments?
And does the president have a list of potential nominees that he's going to make?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
I do not have an update on a timeline, nor do I have a list, but I can certainly have our team gather that for you and provide it.
You're welcome.
Sure.
unidentified
Go ahead.
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Sure.
unidentified
So the president is visiting the Kennedy Center this afternoon to attend a board meeting.
A question about what happened a few weeks ago.
The Kennedy Center got bomb threats targeting a performance like Shingyun Performing Arts, which is an American company showcasing China before communism.
This company has been targeted, unfortunately, by the CCP for years.
I'm wondering if this administration has a response to this and also, as the president is putting an emphasis on arts and culture, what's the administration's message to potentially foreign state actors who are trying to disrupt that in the U.S.?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Don't disrupt it.
This administration will take that very seriously and hold you accountable.
We obviously condemn.
Any violence or threats of violence against American institutions.
And the president will be traveling to the Kennedy Center later this afternoon.
I look forward to going with him.
As you know, he is now the chairman of the board of the Kennedy Center, where he hopes to restore arts and culture that embrace American tradition, don't disparage it, as we have unfortunately seen over the past several years.
The president will be doing a tour of the center in his business developer mind.
I'm sure he will make some recommendations on how the center...
I think the center itself can be improved, but also we'll be discussing perhaps some future plays and musicals and theatrical programs that the center will be hosting under his new leadership and the board's new leadership.
unidentified
With Putin tomorrow, the future of Volodymyr Zelensky, sort of a follow-up to John's question.
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Again, I've been asked and answered this question now.
I'm not going to get ahead of the president's discussion tomorrow, but after the phone call takes place, I can certainly provide a readout.
Daniel.
unidentified
Caroline, thank you so much.
You mentioned earlier in the briefing that you guys are at the 10-yard line of peace.
Given the amount of progress that you've made in such a short amount of time...
Is that an indictment of the previous administration's foreign policy stance?
And is it just more proof that you need to talk to people to sort of get things done?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
I think so.
I think the previous administration is the reason this war began.
As President Trump often says, this war would have never started if he were still in office.
It only started because of the incompetence and the weakness of the previous administration.
And President Trump is very proud of the progress that he and his team have made in such a short amount of time.
And hopefully tomorrow that progress will move forward.
Sure.
unidentified
Thanks.
There have been some media reports just in the last few hours that the administration has decided to withdraw from the International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine, which is designed to hold Putin accountable for war crimes.
Are you able to confirm that?
And if that has occurred, why has that occurred?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
I'm not able to confirm it because I have not heard that.
I will caution.
I know there have been many inaccurate and misleading reports from Reuters lately, so I would caution anybody taking that seriously, but I can check in and get back to you.
unidentified
Is it the president's belief that the Justice Department should be investigating members of the January 6th Select Committee?
Is he directing the DOJ to do that?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
As the president made it very clear in his address on Friday, I believe some of you were there.
I was there.
He made his vision for what he would like to see of the Department of Justice very clear, but he said that he has appointed great people in Attorney General Pam Bondi and also in our FBI Director Kash Patel to do what they think is best for our justice system and to stop the weaponization.
We want to restore the Department of Justice to an institution that focuses on fighting law and order and crime and putting real criminals behind bars, not targeting Americans because of their religion or their political speech.
We saw that under the previous administration, and it's unacceptable to this president.
unidentified
And just to follow up really quickly on just Homan's comments from earlier, a few weeks ago in the law, as the president said, he will always abide by the courts.
We heard what Tom Homan said earlier today.
So I'm only asking just to be clear for the American people.
It is the administration's belief that they were that that you feel like you were bound We are complying with the judges' orders.
What role does the president see for FEMA with these storms?
He's talking about getting rid of FEMA, states handling their own disasters.
Is he planning to change the federal government response to these storms?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
There hasn't been a change yet.
That doesn't mean there couldn't be in the future.
But as of right now, the president, the entire administration are actively monitoring the storms, as I said.
In fact, before I came down here, there was an email note in my inbox from the Department of Homeland Security on what they are actually doing state by state across the board.
So rest assured, Secretary Noem and her team is on it, and I would defer you to the...
One more question.
unidentified
The President referenced power plants with a conversation with Vladimir Putin.
What is he referring to with power plants?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
There's a power plant that is on the border of Russia and Ukraine that was up for discussion with the Ukrainians and he will address it in his call with Putin tomorrow.
Correct.
unidentified
Yes.
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Do you have a question?
unidentified
Yes.
I wanted to ask you if you would be releasing more granular data about people We're sent to El Salvador this week.
Particularly, will you be releasing their names?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
I don't believe so because of the privacy concerns at this point in time.
That doesn't mean we won't eventually.
I would defer you to the Department of Homeland Security for more details on the individuals on the flights.
But we have been incredibly transparent in giving you the breakdown of the numbers and also some of the crimes committed by these heinous criminals and individuals.
Kidnapping, sexual abuse of a child, robbery, aggravated assault on a police officer.
I would remind everybody in this room that Trende Aragua is a foreign terrorist organization operating within the United States of America because the previous administration allowed them to invade our country.
They murdered 22-year-old nursing student Lakin Riley.
They led a multi-state sex trafficking operation involving smuggling women into the United States, holding them in stash houses in Louisiana, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, and Virginia, and forcing them into prostitution.
They kidnapped and murdered a 33-year-old woman in Texas.
They sexually and physically assaulted a woman and her daughter in Wisconsin.
They conducted a mass shooting in Illinois.
They peddled untraceable ghost guns across New York City, took over an Aurora, Colorado apartment complex where they kidnapped and tortured victims.
And by the way, many of you in the mainstream media said that didn't happen.
It turned out that it did.
And because of the effective immigration policies of this administration, those foreign terrorists were detained and they are no longer operating on American soil and we have President Trump to thank Thanks so much.
unidentified
Thanks, Caroline.
benny johnson ▲ ● ▼
Okay, Caroline cooking up some corned beef and cabbage today for the White House press call.
unidentified
Ah, dish best served hot.
benny johnson ▲ ● ▼
And Caroline Levitt was smoking today with the first off the top people's elbow That was just a complete knockout to these jackasses in France.
There are these far left-wing lib politicians in France.
Guy's name I cannot pronounce.
I do not speak French.
I don't ever want to try.
He says that we need to take back the Statue of Liberty because America no longer has the values instilled on the Statue of Liberty.
Statue of Liberty, of course, a statue that says, you know, give me your diseased and wretched and refuse and so on.
Greatest possible extreme.
And so I might agree with this politician, actually.
Don't quote me on that.
Anyway, the point is, is that the stupid poem on the Statue of Liberty aside, not allowed to do that.
Not allowed to take that back.
unidentified
It's ours, you bastard.
benny johnson ▲ ● ▼
And we're going to remind you that, you know, without us, you'd be speaking German.
Or Portuguese.
Or Italian.
Or any country that wished to conquer France.
Because it was literally just sitting there for the taking.
Speaking, I mean, the worst of all of them.
English!
Man.
Here we go.
Carolyn Levitt, absolute flamethrower at France.
Didn't think I'd say this one.
peter doocy ▲ ● ▼
There is now a member of the European Parliament from France who does not think the U.S. represents the values of the Statue of Liberty anymore.
They want the Statue of Liberty back.
So is President Trump going to send the Statue of Liberty back to France?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Absolutely not.
And my advice to that unnamed, low-level French politician would be to remind them that it's only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now.
So they should be very grateful to our great country.
benny johnson ▲ ● ▼
I just freaking love to see it.
Carolyn Lovett bringing the fight.
She was with a great fighter.
Earlier today, he was with Conor McGregor inside of the White House.
Conor McGregor also at the Department of Defense.
Here's Conor McGregor with Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, at least the portraits.
They're inside of the executive office building right there.
That's where those portraits hang, right across the street from the White House.
Still inside the White House compound.
Conor McGregor putting him up.
And the fight, fight, fight has different meanings with the MMA champion for what weight, Klein?
155 pounds.
unidentified
Okay.
benny johnson ▲ ● ▼
First double champ and 145.
There we go.
We got to use this deep well knowledge more often on the program.
Killer Kline is a jujitsu master and a massive fan of UFC, MMA, and quite a fighter himself.
We do have some AIs of what the Statue of Liberty may well look like.
In fact, you know what?
I agree to send the Statue of Liberty back to France.
I do.
I now agree to send it back.
It's just we need to make a couple of slight modifications before sending it back.
Go.
Here we go.
Here's what we should send to France, actually.
If we sent this to France, France would surrender again.
They would just immediately, if this showed up on their shores, they'd look up and they'd go, and they'd surrender.
Here's another one.
This one's good.
That's what I have with that one.
I like that one because this is just the Trump face, right?
unidentified
Just the face.
benny johnson ▲ ● ▼
It kind of works, actually.
It's beautiful.
That's what the original Statue of Liberty looked like.
It's bronze, right?
It has that green when the weather oxidates, ionizes, ionizes, and oxidizes the bronze.
Then it turns green.
But this is what the original Statue of Liberty looked like.
It would be totally cool to see that.
Maybe we should wash it off.
Wash it off and give it a facelift!
Give it the Donald Trump facelift.
I'll be down.
I'll be down.
Carolyn Levitt chose violence today when speaking to CNN.
Ooh, baby.
This was an absolute barn burner.
CNN asking about Joe Biden's fake signature and fake pardons and auto pen scandal that is erupting right now.
And Carolyn Levitt pulling the always handy Trump card out of her back pocket going, you're a reporter, why don't you ask Joe Biden?
This is great to see.
unidentified
Go.
benny johnson ▲ ● ▼
All right.
Carolyn versus Caitlin.
unidentified
But first, on the president's post overnight, saying that he is-- that the pardons that were issued by President Biden preemptively to members of the January 6th committee, that they're now null and void.
Have attorneys here at the White House told President Trump that he is the legal authority?
To undo a pardon simply because it was signed by Autopen, as he said?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
The president was begging the question that I think a lot of journalists in this room should be asking about whether or not the former president of the United States, who I think we can all finally agree was cognitively impaired.
I know it took people some time to finally admit that, but we all know that to be true, as evidenced by his disastrous debate performance against President Trump during the campaign.
I digress on that.
But the president was raising the To the point that Did the president even know about these pardons?
Was his legal signature used without his consent or knowledge?
And that's not just the president or me raising those questions, Caitlin.
According to the New York Post, there are Biden officials from the previous White House who raised those questions and wondered if the president was even consulted about his legally binding signature being signed onto documents.
And so I think it's a question that everybody in this room should be looking into because certainly...
That would propose perhaps criminal or illegal behavior if staff members were signing the President of the United States autograph without his consent.
unidentified
But President Biden is on the record talking about issuing preemptive pardons to these people.
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
But was he aware of his signature being used on every single pardon?
That's a question you should ask the Biden White House.
unidentified
Is there any evidence on that, that he wasn't aware of it?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
You're a reporter.
You should find out.
Sean?
unidentified
I have a question on the timeline of the flights.
You keep talking about the judge's written order which hit the docket Saturday night at about 7:26 p.m., but he issued a verbal order before that at about 6:45 and 6:48 p.m. based on the court hearing.
The bench.
Does the White House feel the need to comply with a verbal order from this judge?
karoline leavitt ▲ ● ▼
Again, as I said, all of the planes subject to the written order of this judge departed U.S. soil, U.S. territory before the judge's written order.
But what about the verbal order, which of course carries the same legal weight as a written order, and said for the planes to turn around Well, there's actually questions about whether a verbal order carries the same weight as a legal order, as a written order, and our lawyers are determined to ask and answer those questions.
benny johnson ▲ ● ▼
Hmm.
Oh.
You know, since you were a reporter for the, uh, let me check the record here, entire Biden regime!
You think you could, like, maybe ask them, like, one single time why Joe Biden kept falling on his ass?
Why did Joe Biden not know where he was?
Why did Joe Biden have to be led around by his hand, like, with his little hand, Joe Biden, regularly just walking him around?
You can see it after the debate through the White House.
We have the tape.
Why did Joe Biden do all of his meetings in a fake Oval Office inside of a Fisher-Price desk?
unidentified
Did you ask?
benny johnson ▲ ● ▼
Why did Joe Biden...
I mean, it's too many to count.
Why did Joe Biden fall down the stairs, fall down the stage, fall across a flat stage?
Why did Joe Biden clearly not know any English language words?
Maybe he speaks French.
I don't know.
I'm not sure.
Ladies and gentlemen, I got a little bit of French for the French.
Here we go.
The...
Final word from the Benny Show.
To France!
After threatening to take back your present, no takesies, backsies, as we say on this program, why don't we just do one more alteration to the Statue of Liberty?
There you go.
Right across the Atlantic, please.
Straight into your sweet French baguettes.
Ladies and gentlemen, You have been watching The Benny Show.
And we are very excited to keep the Statue of Liberty.
Thank you very much.
Maybe go make new ones.
We're not exactly sure.
You know, many people saying that President Trump...
There's a...
There's a poof.
There's like a rock formation in Mount Rushmore that looks just like his hair.
I'm getting ahead of myself here.
But there is.
You go look at Mount Rushmore.
I mean, maybe it's not the Statue of Liberty, but there's a rock formation that's right adjacent to the other president's head.
There it is.
It looks just like Trump's hair.
You can already see it!
There you go.
You can already see it!
Can't you already see the angry face and the mugshot look?
Come on.
Jeez, Jerry, you animated this?
Amazing.
All right.
Our final message.
Our final message to Brantz here.
Ladies and gentlemen, just because our team is so excellent on this program.
Good night!
Dirty French frogs.
We're keeping her!
And have you tried saying thank you?
Have you tried saying please?
Look forward to that J.D. Vance meeting.
Okay.
Here we go.
We'll see you online.
It's your boy, Benny.
unidentified
See ya.
benny johnson ▲ ● ▼
Right there, right there.
unidentified
Activate the statue of deportation.
Man, I can't wait to see people say this when we come on shore.
This should really get the city's positive energy.
The statue of deportation has arrived in New York City.
Not a
Yes, sir, not a follower.
Fit the box, fit the mold, have a seat for ya.
Pick a number.
I was lightning before the thunder.
Thunder, thunder.
Lightning and the thunder.
Thunder, feel the thunder.
Who do you think you are?
Dreaming about being a big star.
The Benny shows, where the truth gon'be.
Faith and freedom on your TV screen.
Stand up strong, battle through the night.
The Benny shows here bringing liberty to life.
From the speeches to debates, Benny's sharp like a blade.
Covered through the lies, once the truth cascade.
With the warrior's heart, this man never fades.
You know it's primetime when Benny invades.
From saving the nation to stories untold.
The Benny shows a storm, see the truth unfold.
Stay in the loop, let freedom take hold.
Salt on all the libs, soul never sold.
It's the Benny show, where the truth gon'be.
Faith and freedom on your TV screen.
Stand up strong, battle through the night.
The Benny shows here bringing liberty to life.
you Bringing liberty to light.
Liberty to light.
Bringing liberty to light.
From the speeches to the debates.
Benny sharp like a blade.
Coming through the lies.
Watch the truth cascade with the warrior's heart.
This man never fades.
You know it's prime time when Benny invades.
From saving the nation to stories untold.
The Benny show's a storm, see the truth unfold.
Stay in the loop, let freedom take hold.
Salt in all the libs, soul never sold.
It's the Benny show, where the truth gon' be.
Faith and freedom on your TV screen.
Stand up strong, battle through the night.
The Benny show's here bringing liberty to light.
Bringing liberty to light.
Bringing liberty to light.
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