White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt joined Fox News’ Saturday in America with Kayleigh McEnany to address sharp criticism from former President Barack Obama. The discussion centered on press freedom, media independence, and the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Obama had recently voiced concern over what he described as troubling signs of government influence on media companies. He cited Kimmel’s indefinite suspension as an example that could undermine First Amendment protections.
According to Obama, even the appearance of political pressure on entertainment or news outlets sets a dangerous precedent. He warned that silencing voices, directly or indirectly, risks eroding the public’s trust in both media and democracy.
Leavitt pushed back strongly against those claims. She argued that Obama was out of touch with the facts and that the White House had no role in ABC’s decision. “The suspension was made entirely by the network’s executives,” she stated.