White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and former CNN anchor Jim Acosta are engaged in an ongoing war of words, with Leavitt taking aim at Acosta during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday.
Acosta, a former White House correspondent, dissed Leavitt earlier this week, calling her a “kid” who is “telling a tall tale.”
Although he received a lot of backlash for his comments, it seems like Leavitt had the last word. During a CPAC interview with Mercedes Schlapp, Trump’s former White House strategic communications director, the topic of Acosta’s dismissal from CNN was broached.
🔥WATCH: @PressSec calls out former CNN host Jim Acosta: “He’s been saying some not-so-nice things about me online — and I’ve resisted responding, but since you brought him up, I’d like to say, ‘Jim, at least I have a job.'” pic.twitter.com/Bn5Ouv1yo0
— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) February 22, 2025
“Since you brought up Jim Acosta: He’s been saying some not-so-nice things about me online, and I’ve resisted responding,” said Leavitt. “But since you brought him up, I’d like to say: Jim, at least I have a job, Jim. OK? Just saying.”
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Her response was met with applause and laughter from the audience.
US President Donald Trump, accompanied by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, speaks to reporters on Air Force One en route to Joint Base Andrews, on Jan. 27, 2025. / MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
The former CNN host, who left the network last month in the midst of schedule changes, slammed Leavitt on Wednesday during an interview with liberal outlet MeidasTouch.
He claimed that Trump’s 27-year-old press secretary was only trying to be more like those who filled the role before her—including Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who were both part of what Acosta described as an “all-star team of liars.”
Acosta also suggested that Leavitt, who is the youngest White House press secretary in history, “might be on the bench right now, but if she keeps working hard, does her homework, she just might make it onto the team.”
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The 53-year-old’s comments follow others he made earlier this week when he joked that Leavitt should appear on Saturday Night Live because she is such a “bad liar.”
“The skit writes itself,” he said, adding, “It’s a sad and sorry state of affairs.”
US President Donald Trump (R) gets into a heated exchange with CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta (C) as NBC correspondent Peter Alexander (L) looks on during a post-election press conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on Nov. 7, 2018. / MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
Acosta did not stop there though. He went on to compare Leavitt to a child, saying: “When your kid is telling you a tall tale and you’re just looking at them like, ‘OK, Johnny. Sure, yeah, I believe you,’ and you just walk away saying, ‘What the hell? That kid’s… not telling me the truth.‘”
Acosta’s attacks were met with instant retaliation from Leavitt’s MAGA clan.
“Oh Jim’s a boob who will never stop whining,” wrote one Leavitt supporter on X. “He’s got a bad case of TDS,” referring to Trump Derangement Syndrome.
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