In her inaugural briefing as White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt outlined significant policy changes implemented during President Trump’s first week back in office, including immigration enforcement measures, federal funding adjustments, and changes to White House media access.
The administration has confirmed five Cabinet nominees: Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary, John Ratcliffe as CIA Director, Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary, and Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary.
A key announcement involved a temporary pause on certain federal grant programs, though Leavitt emphasized that individual assistance programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and food stamps would continue uninterrupted. The Office of Management and Budget will review federal spending through a newly created Department of Government Efficiency.
On immigration, the administration declared a national emergency at the southern border and implemented new deportation policies. This included a diplomatic confrontation with Colombia over accepting deportees, which Leavitt reported was resolved after discussions between the two nations.
The White House also announced changes to its media access policies, planning to restore press credentials to 440 journalists whose passes were previously revoked. The administration will begin offering credentials to “new media” outlets, including podcasters and social media content creators, through a new application process at WhiteHouse.gov/NewMedia.
Regarding economic policy, the administration is considering implementing new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, potentially beginning February 1st. Leavitt indicated these measures are part of broader economic initiatives aimed at addressing inflation and costs.
The press secretary also addressed the administration’s response to natural disasters in California and North Carolina, noting recent presidential visits to both states to assess damage and meet with local officials.
When questioned about various policy implementations, Leavitt repeatedly emphasized that many changes were still in development, with further details to be released as programs are finalized.
The administration has issued over 300 executive actions in its first week, marking a significant departure from previous policies across multiple areas of government operations.
