White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was fact-checked by a reporter during a press briefing after falsely stating that "Democrat activist" judge obstructing President Donald Trump's agenda was appointed by former President Barack Obama.
During a press briefing at the White House on Wednesday, Leavitt was asked about Trump's attempt to impeach federal Judge James Boasberg, who temporarily paused Trump's deportation of migrants under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. She proceeded to criticize Boasberg, referring to the judge as a "Democrat activist" appointed by Obama.
"We don't have any flights planned specifically, but we will continue with the mass deportations," Leavitt began. "And I would just like to point out that the judge in this case is essentially trying to say that the president doesn't have the executive authority to deport foreign terrorists from our American soil."
"Under the Alien Enemies Act, the president has this power, and that's why this deportation campaign has continued," she continued. "And this judge, Judge Boesberg, is a Democrat activist. He was appointed by Barack Obama. His wife has donated more than $10,000 to Democrats, and he has consistently shown his disdain for this president and his policies, and it's unacceptable."
Garrett Haake, the NBC News Senior White House Correspondent who asked the initial question, then fact-checked Leavitt, informing her that Boasberg had actually been appointed by former President George W. Bush.
"You took me right where I wanted to go about the idea of these people are all foreign terrorists, but Judge Boesberg was originally appointed by George W. Bush and then elevated by Barack Obama. I just feel like I should clear that up–" he responded.
"Well, let me just say something to that effect, Garrett. Sixty-seven percent of all of the injunctions in this century have come against which president? Donald J. Trump," said Leavitt. "This is a clear, concerted effort by leftists who don't like this president and are trying to impose or slow down his agenda."
Leavitt has been fact-checked numerous times before. Just last week, she stated that tariffs are "a tax cut for the American people," a statement PolitiFact rated as false while noting that economists have referred to tariffs as "tax hikes rather than tax cuts."
This was Leavitt's third fact-check from PolitiFact thus far. Leavitt has collected more fact-checks in two months than former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki had in 16 months.
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