White House Press Secretary Makes Startling Admission on Trump's Social Media
In a remarkable contradiction of recent White House statements, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has declared that all content appearing on President Donald Trump's Truth Social account originates directly from the president himself. This assertion comes just one week after administration officials blamed a staff member for posting a grotesquely racist video featuring Barack and Michelle Obama's faces superimposed onto apes.
"Straight From the Horse's Mouth"
During a Wednesday press briefing in Washington, D.C., Leavitt responded to questions about Trump's latest Truth Social message concerning Diego Garcia by stating unequivocally that anything appearing on the president's bespoke social media platform should be considered official administration policy. "When you see it on Truth Social, you know it's directly from President Trump," Leavitt told reporters, adding that such posts come "straight from the horse's mouth."
The press secretary's comments directly conflict with explanations provided days earlier regarding the racist Obama video that appeared on Trump's account earlier this month. At that time, a White House official informed The Independent that a staff member had "erroneously made the post," prompting calls from Republican supporters for the unnamed individual's dismissal. No one has been fired over the incident thus far.
Trump's Policy Reversal on Diego Garcia
Leavitt's statement came in response to Trump's afternoon Truth Social post criticizing plans for the United Kingdom to enter into a century-long lease with Mauritius regarding Diego Garcia, a strategically important South Pacific island housing a crucial U.S. airbase. The president urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer not to proceed with handing control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling the proposed 100-year lease a "big mistake" and declaring that "leases are no good when it comes to countries."
This represents the latest in a series of abrupt policy reversals from the Trump administration regarding the British government's decision to cede control of the Chagos archipelago. Just weeks earlier, Trump had described the agreement as "the best" the Labour leader could negotiate, making his current opposition particularly puzzling to observers.
Limited Access to Presidential Account
Despite the White House maintaining an extensive digital communications team managing official administration accounts on various platforms, access to Trump's personal Truth Social account remains restricted to the president and a small circle of trusted aides. Trump has long been known for personally handling much of his social media activity, dating back to his early years on Twitter when he would freely opine on diverse subjects and engage with ordinary users.
During his initial campaign and first presidential term, much of Trump's online presence was managed by Daniel Scavino, a longtime confidant who has worked for the president in various capacities since his teenage years as a golf caddy at Trump's New Jersey club. Scavino returned to the White House last year as Assistant to the President and Deputy White House Chief of Staff, maintaining his trusted position with access to Trump's personal social media accounts.
Current Management of Truth Social Output
With Scavino now handling broader responsibilities including leadership of the White House Personnel Office, day-to-day management of Trump's Truth Social activity often falls to Natalie Harp, a former One America News Network personality who serves as the president's personal assistant. According to sources familiar with the arrangement, Harp frequently transcribes Trump's dictated posts when he isn't posting personally, working just outside the Oval Office.
The Independent understands that Harp's specific involvement in individual posts varies, though she has not been accused of responsibility for the controversial Obama video. Harp did not respond to emailed inquiries regarding her role. A former White House and campaign staffer from Trump's first term revealed that the president's late-night posting and reposting sessions typically represent his own activity rather than that of staff members.
This revelation about Trump's personal involvement in all Truth Social content creates significant questions about accountability for previous controversial posts, particularly the racist Obama video that administration officials had attributed to a staff error. The contradiction highlights ongoing challenges in maintaining consistent messaging from an administration where the president maintains such direct control over his social media communications.
