JD Vance Fields White House Briefing as Leavitt Exit Leaves Trump Without a Press Secretary
Updated
Updated · PBS NewsHour · Sep 3
JD Vance Fields White House Briefing as Leavitt Exit Leaves Trump Without a Press Secretary
3 articles · Updated · PBS NewsHour · Sep 3
Summary
JD Vance took the White House podium on Thursday after press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s departure, joking he was there as vice president, not as a permanent replacement.
3.4% July inflation became Vance’s main policy message as he urged the Federal Reserve to cut rates, despite Fed officials saying price growth remains above their 2% target.
15 million barrels of oil moved through the Strait of Hormuz with U.S. help on Wednesday, Vance said, while insisting the Iran conflict is “not a war” even as Tehran keeps firing at tankers.
4 people were reported killed in an alleged U.S. strike on an Iranian wedding, and Vance said the administration was fully investigating while maintaining the military does not target civilians.
25 years after the 9/11 attacks, Vance said he would attend next week’s New York memorial, but his briefing also underscored wider political strains over Tucker Carlson, Joe Biden and 2028 Republicans.