White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is under fire after defending President Donald Trump’s decision to keep secret the list of people attending a private dinner—one that includes buyers of Trump-themed cryptocurrency coins.
During a press briefing, a reporter asked if the White House would release the names of the attendees. “You guys are very proud of your record on transparency… on the president’s dinner tonight will the white house commit to making a list of the attendees public so people can see who is paying for that access?” the reporter asked.
Leavitt responded: “The president is attending it in his personal time. It is not a White House dinner, it’s not taking place here at the White House. But certainly I can raise that question and try to get you an answer for it.”
That explanation did not go over well.
Critics exploded online, slamming the idea that a sitting president can have “personal time” when meeting with people who paid for access.
“No such thing, Karoline,” one user posted on X.
“It’s his personal time, so we can’t know anything about it?” asked journalist Ron Filipkowski.
Another user added, “He’s the ‘President’ of the United States. He doesn’t punch a time card and magically stop having that job. If he’s meeting with Kim Jong Un or Kanye f’ng West, the American people have a right to know.”
“President’s don’t get “personal time.” There’s not like a magic suit you wear when you are doing official business and one where you are just Donald from Queens,” Tim Miller wrote.
The sharpest criticism came from Timothy Bellman, who didn’t hold back: “The president is taking bribes. That is what’s happening here. It would be foolish to suggest otherwise.”
Political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen also weighed in: “I didn’t realize the president could turn off being president like a light switch.”
And John Jackson called out the absurdity: “Finally someone asked the question. And got the most ridiculous answer. We need these names.”
The backlash shows no signs of slowing. For many, it’s not just about a dinner—it’s about whether the president of the United States is selling access behind closed doors, and whether the public will ever get the truth.
Watch the clip below:
Reporter: You guys are very proud of your record on transparency… on the president's dinner tonight will the white house commit to making a list of the attendees public so people can see who is paying for that access?
Leavitt: The president is attending it in his personal… pic.twitter.com/oDkCdkN7kT
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 22, 2025
