CNN host Kate Bolduan laid a brutal (and much-needed) fact-check on Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt this morning, even going so far as to tell Leavitt that she needed to talk less and listen more.
The topic of discussion was failed president Donald Trump’s lies about the FEMA response to Hurricane Helene, which devastated areas of the Southeast when it roared through late last month.
Boulduan began by asking Leavitt, “Things that the former president has said is FEMA funds were stolen to be used to house illegal migrants, that no one from FEMA was on the ground in North Carolina, that funds were being withheld from Republican areas of the state on purpose.”
“None of that is true. The head of FEMA says that worse than it not being true, it is dangerous that if this is pushed and circulated for the people who are most in need of help.”
“With that knowledge, is the former president going to stop saying this?”
Leavitt responded, “Well, first of all, Kate, let me just express our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in western North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and now Florida who are bracing for another devastating hurricane. The bottom line is that FEMA spent $1 billion on funding for illegal immigrants that Kamala Harris and Joe Biden let into the country. CNN and many mainstream media outlets reported that more than a month ago.”
“Now, today, we find ourselves in a predicament where Americans are in dire situations in need of food and of water. And Secretary Mayorcas last week said that FEMA does not have sufficient funding to get through this crisis and through the rest of hurricane season.”
Leavitt continued talking as Boulduan tried to ask questions, finally leading the host to insist, “No, no, no. But first on that, let’s let’s get let’s get to let’s keep to the facts, which is on that suggestion that Donald Trump did make, that they were stealing money from FEMA and using it, and it’s all gone because they’re using it to house migrants. That’s not true. There’s no disaster relief fund money that was going in that was going to house migrants.”
“I don’t think the American people care which pocket the money came from…” Leavitt snidely remarked.
“What you’re now saying is that you think it is–. You don’t you don’t think American people care where the money comes from. It is– You think it is bad that they’re using FEMA money to house migrants. Ironically, Donald Trump attempted something very similar to what he falsely now is claiming about them in 2019. Trump used–.” Bolduan noted. And when Leavitt tried to interrupt her, the host more than held her own.
“I’m talking! Let me finish! Trump used money from FEMA’s disaster fund for migrant programs at the southern border. He told Congress that he was intending at the time in 2019 to shift $271 million from DHS, including $155 million from FEMA’s disaster relief fund to pay for detaining and transporting undocumented immigrants.”
“Less than that was transferred from less than the 150 million was transferred. But money was transferred by Donald Trump in 2019 and the Trump administration from the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund to house migrants. So is he is he then okay with moving disaster relief funds for dealing with migrants, but now is not? Is that what you’re saying?”
When Leavitt continued to spout fact-free talking points from the Trump campaign, Boulduan curtly ended the interview.
“We’re going to leave it there, because I offered you three times to give me the answer and I’m not getting it!”
Well done, Kate! Trump and his GOP colleagues love to try and do everything other than answer the questions they’ve been asked. The only way to deal with them is end the discussion and move on. Letting them spin their lies serves no productive purpose.
