Tipsheet

WH Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Had This Warning to the Media About Their Iran Ceasefire Coverage

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  April 08, 2026 3:00 PM

For members of the media, this is like an acid trip: They have a president of the United States whom they despise and believe is a liar, and an authoritarian regime in Iran that lies constantly. So, when a ceasefire agreement is reached, they remain blind. The only exception is our press corps, which prefers and trusts Tehran more; Trump derangement syndrome has been at its peak the past 36 hours. 

The media spread a 10-point plan issued by Iran’s state media, specifically the office of the supreme leader. Meanwhile, earlier today, reports surfaced that the Strait of Hormuz was closed. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke to the media to clarify the facts about the ceasefire, while criticizing the constant flow of fake news reports. 

First, the Strait is open, with maritime traffic increasing since yesterday. Second, that 10-point plan that spread faster than COVID across the airwaves was immediately discarded. It claimed we’d agreed to a total withdrawal from the region; for example, that’s not happening. This roadmap was not accepted. What was actually agreed upon was a framework that President Trump found workable alongside our own 15-point plan. Leavitt issued a stern warning to the press: these talks will be behind closed doors, so whatever Iran says publicly should not be taken as an official statement.  

They’re telling us different things in private. Leavitt also mentioned that Trump was informed about Iranian state media reports about closing the strait, and he said he was not happy. On Saturday, Vice President JD Vance, Jared Kushner, and Steve Witkoff will head to Islamabad, Pakistan, to continue negotiations.  

Leavitt handled more questions unrelated to the ceasefire agreement, particularly regarding President Trump’s ‘annihilation’ post, where he threatened to wipe out Iran. This led to wild reactions from the Left, with some believing he meant carpet bombing the nation with nuclear weapons. Is this everyone’s first time covering the Trump administration? Because everyone who knows better understood that a) no nukes would be used, and b) it was a tactic to encourage the Iranians to come to the bargaining table, which they did. They can’t afford another wave of massive airstrikes.  

Questions about whether this was moral and dignified, you guessed it, were thrown at Leavitt. Meanwhile, none of them wanted to ask questions that likely would’ve clarified their fake news reporting on Iran’s 10-point plan that was accepted as fact. It was silly season.  

Leavitt provided an update on the situation, stating that Iran’s missile program has been degraded, with most of its arsenal and launch vehicles destroyed in airstrikes. We have struck 450 missile sites and 800 drone launching units. Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, more than 13,000 targets have been hit. Iran’s navy, once among the largest in the region, has been eliminated, with 150 vessels sunk, including all its submarines. Seventy-five percent of its naval mines were targeted and destroyed. Its air force is now ineffective in combat. Most importantly, Iran can no longer supply weapons to its proxies, and its nuclear weapons ambitions are now over. Epic Fury also dismantled Iran’s extensive military buildup, which posed a threat to American forces in the region.

The Trump White House declared that the military objectives behind these operations have been achieved. Leavitt also sent condolences to the 13 American service members who were killed during Epic Fury and their families.  

The political and military decimation of Iran allowed Trump to gain maximum leverage to secure a ceasefire. Let’s see if it holds. 

Also, NATO Watch is on. Are we leaving?