Leavitt Spars With Reporter Who Suggests Trump Could Use Middle East Trip For Personal Profit

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sparred with a reporter who suggested that President Donald Trump was personally profiting from his time as president — specifically his upcoming trip to the Middle East — saying as Trump has in the past that he was likely losing money while he held the office.

During Friday’s White House briefing, a reporter asked whether Trump, while visiting the Middle East, planned to meet with people associated with his family business ventures in addition to political leaders — and Leavitt quickly read between the lines of her question.

WATCH:

.@PressSec smacks down the Fake News: “It’s frankly ridiculous that anyone in this room would suggest that @POTUS is doing anything for his own benefit… This is a President who has actually lost money for being President… I don’t remember these same types of questions being… pic.twitter.com/yw6V7CtKCD

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 9, 2025

“You noted he is a successful businessman,” the reporter began. “Do you know if the president has any plans to meet with any of the folks involved with any of the family businesses over there or see any of the sites that are going to be new Trump resorts?”

“Not to my knowledge,” Leavitt replied, adding, “And let me just get to the premise of your question that both of you have raised. I think it’s frankly ridiculous that anyone in this room would even suggest that President Trump is doing anything for his own benefit.”

“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 continued. “And again, the American public reelected him back to this White House because they trust he acts in the best interests of our country and putting the American public first.”

“This is a President who has actually lost money for being President of the United States,” she concluded with a dig at former President Joe Biden, adding, “I don’t remember these same types of questions being asked of my predecessor about a career politician who was clearly profiting off of this office. That is not what President Trump does, and this White House holds ourselves to the highest ethical standards.”