Leavitt Launches Angry Defense of Trump's Money-Making Schemes
Karoline Leavitt said it was 'ridiculous' to claim Donald Trump was seeking to profit from his presidency.
The prickly press secretary hit out after claiming that questions from the media suggested there was an ulterior motive behind some of the president's actions.
'I think it's frankly ridiculous that anyone in this room would even suggest that President Trump is doing anything for his own benefit,' Leavitt said at Friday's White House press briefing. 'He left a life of luxury and a life of running a very successful real estate empire for public service, not just once, but twice.'
Leavitt was angered by questions about the president's interest in meme coins and whether he planned to visit any Trump properties during his trip to the Middle East planned next week.
'The American public re-elected him back to this White House because they trust he acts in the best interest of our country and putting the American public first,' she continued. 'This is a president who has actually lost money from being President of the United States.'
Leavitt claimed Joe Biden's press secretary was not asked similar questions doubting the integrity of the president.
'I don't remember these same type of questions being asked of my predecessor about a career politician who was clearly profiting off of this office,' she raged. 'That is not what President Trump does, and this White House holds ourselves to the highest of ethical standards.'
Earlier, Leavitt reacted to a question about a money-spinning dinner run by MAGA supporters that offers people who buy Trump meme coins a chance to attend the event with the president later this month.
Andrew Egger, The Bulwark White House correspondent asked: 'Karoline, the president posted another ad this week for his Trump meme coin. The group that's running that coin is encouraging people to buy in order to win a dinner this month with the President. Why is the president planning to attend a dinner for the top investors in his coin?'
'Look,' said Leavitt, 'the president is abiding by all conflict of interest laws. The president has been incredibly transparent with his own personal financial obligations throughout the years.
'The president is a successful businessman, and I think, frankly, it's one of the many reasons that people re-elected him back to this office.'
Egger persisted, asking: 'There are at least some people who are buying this coin who seem to view it as an opportunity to influence the president's views. There was a logistics company this week that said they would buy $20 million in the coin in order to advocate for free trade between the US and Mexico.
'If buyers are buying for that reason, are they wasting their money?' he added.
Leavitt replied: 'Look, I can assure you, the president acts with only the interests of the American public in mind, putting our country first and doing what's best for our country full stop.
'That's his intention, and that's what he's focused on.'
Trump has more than doubled his estimated fortune, from $2.3 billion to $5.1 billion, in the past year, according to Forbes.
Days before he was sworn in, he unveiled his $TRUMP digital token that recouped an estimated $350 million in trading fees and cryptocurrencies.
Trump's Middle East visit encompasses three countries with Trump-branded projects. There is already a Trump golf course in the United Arab Emirates, and there are reported to be other hotel, residential, and golf course projects planned for Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
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