Flattery has long been part of the playbook inside President Donald Trump’s orbit, where praise isn’t just encouraged — it’s expected. Trump has built a reputation for rewarding those who say the right things and sidelining those who don’t. But with tensions rising inside the White Hous e, including two abrupt firings in less than two months, even routine praise is starting to land differently. In this environment, every public compliment is being scrutinized for what it says, and what it might be trying to do. United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt disembark Air Force One as U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at Zurich Airport before attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, on January 21, 2026 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) White house press secretary Karoline Leavitt stepped in last week to deliver one of her most over-the-top endorsements yet about how “well-read” Trump is. It’s long been rumored that Trump doesn’t read. He watches hours of television news every day, according to various sources and reporting over the years, but when it comes to actually reading a book, it’s apparently not his thing. Leavitt gushed over Trump and his reading habits during an interview on April 2 at George Washington University in Washington with Turning Point USA chairwoman and CEO Erika Kirk as part of the organization’s spring tour. ‘Balls!’: Trump Gets Hit with the Question Everyone’s Been Waiting for, Tries to Shrug It Off Like Nothing, But He Can’t Hide He’s Completely Thrown Off in Real Time She started off by suggesting the best piece of advice she was ever given was “to try to be the most well-read person in every room.” “I try to be every day, but Donald Trump always is. That man does not miss a story. Let me tell you. He’s always reading the papers and watching the TV,” she astoundingly bragged, clearly not understanding what the term “well-read” even means. But she cluelessly added, “He doesn’t miss anything anyone says in the whole world. I don’t know how he does it and consumes it all, and it’s a lot.” Then she went a step further, also seeming to compare media literacy with being “well-read.” “You’re students,” she continued. “You’re, you’re working, you’re in school. You want to have fun, you want to live lives. You can’t consume every piece of news, but before you get really hot and bothered about something, or maybe angry or even really encouraged by something, check other sources and then use your best judgment to sort of balance what the truth is. And unfortunately, that’s just the way it has to be done.” View on Threads This is not bad advice, in fact, it is very accurate in terms of knowing and trusting the news sources, publications, and outlets, but it just has nothing to do with being well-read. The definition of well-read is a person who is knowledgeable and informed as a result of extensive reading. Merriam-Webster defines it as “well-informed or deeply versed through reading.” Social media wasn’t having any of Leavitt’s duplicity on this outrageous claim about Trump. Of course, Trump’s archnemesis, a stunned California Gov. Gavin Newsom, couldn’t let this one pass and responded in his usual hysterical way. “DONALD TRUMP IS THE MOST WELL-READ PERSON IN THE ROOM? WHO ELSE IS IN THAT ROOM? TWO ROCKS, A JELLY DONUT, AND LEAVITT?” Newsom quipped in a post on X. Former national security official Miles Taylor recounted his experience with Trump. “I remember the first piece of advice I got on briefing President Trump in 2017: He doesn’t read. Bring pictures. Only try to impress ONE thing on him. And if there has to be words, single page only.“ Trump had such a hard reading this name that he almost seized up pic.twitter.com/MBmTZPA5tV— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 4, 2025 Others piled on. “He literally can’t read,” this Threads user pointed out. “You HAVE TO BE KIDDING. The man can barely read. OMG. HOW SCABBY ARE HER KNEES??” Threads user Diane Jarrett scoffed. Another agreed, “That she can say this with a straight face is an indicator of how utterly soulless she is. The absurd lies flow so easily.” Another said bluntly, “Sweetie, he’ll still fire you.” Despite Leavitt’s attempt to frame Trump as the most well-read and informed person in the room, that claim quickly runs into a very different reality. Just hours after her podcast appearance, a report from Time detailed growing concern inside the White House, particularly from chief of staff Susie Wiles, about what information is actually reaching the president. If Trump is consuming as much news and information as Leavitt suggests, it raises an obvious question: why would aides need to present him with an overly “rosy” version of events at all? According to the report, Wiles has become increasingly alarmed by the direction of the conflict and the narrowing path forward, with sources saying she believes aides have been presenting Trump with that softened version even as opposition grows and the costs continue to mount. Widely seen as one of Trump’s closest advisers, Wiles has reportedly urged staff to be “more forthright with the boss,” warning that he is not always being given a full and accurate picture of the risks ahead. ‘He’ll Still Fire You!’: Karoline Leavitt Tries Too Hard to Impress Trump — But Hours Earlier a Report Exposes Susie Wiles’ Fury Over White House Antics and It All Blows Up in Her Face ...read more read less