NEW DETAILS: Leavitt reveals Trump’s reaction to GOP midterm losses

[0:00] President Trump still has two more years in office. [0:03] Democrats are promising investigations and upheaval, a reversal of the last two years. [0:08] So Republicans, though now in the minority, will have to hold the lines they established while in power. [0:13] But what happens after that, once Donald J. Trump is no longer at the top of the ticket? [0:19] Well, that path remains uncharted. [0:21] So this week I sat down with the former White House press secretary to talk about what comes next. [0:26] You have a voice that has really become something that I think a lot of conservatives look to. [0:33] So obviously in the wake of these midterms, they did not go the way a lot of people wanted. [0:38] What would you say right now to conservatives across the country, to voters across the country? [0:43] The midterm elections, it was not a good night for the Republican Party. [0:47] And I think there's two big things, Republican voters and common sense Americans can take away from this. [0:52] Number one, we got to humble ourselves, look through the data, comb through each race and really analyze what happened so we can change course, change messaging and ensure that it doesn't happen again. [1:05] And then secondly, don't be deterred by this. [1:08] I mean, if you look at history, this does happen. [1:11] In 2010, Barack Obama lost 63 House seats and I believe five or six Senate seats. [1:17] So it's a similar occurrence, I think only three times this century has an American president maintained control of either chamber in Congress when their incumbent party is in the White House. [1:29] You know, voters really like instant gratification and that's the world we live in today. [1:34] They did not feel the impacts of the policies the Trump administration is pursuing that are good policies, but it didn't register. [1:42] And that obviously showed with the turnout on Election Day. [1:45] What about for congressional Republicans? [1:48] Obviously, they're going to face an uphill battle. [1:51] But in order to kind of put this party back together, there are priorities and values that I think most Americans kind of have in mind and are looking to them to lead on. [2:01] What advice would you give them? [2:03] Well, I think the number one issue for voters was affordability, prices and inflation. [2:09] And the president was tackling an inflation crisis from the previous administration, the Biden administration, Democrat control. [2:16] Don't forget, we had record high 9 percent inflation. [2:20] President Trump came in. [2:21] It's down at 3 percent. [2:22] There's a lot more work to do, obviously. [2:24] But I think Republicans need to stay focused on the economy, on the price of living, because we know it is our policies at the end of the day that will make the country more affordable. [2:36] And we'll see how the Democrats govern. [2:38] I mean, look, they made very big promises to their voters. [2:42] Medicare for all, you know, free health care, free college tuition in some cases. [2:47] It's going to be difficult for them to actually get those things done. [2:51] But, you know, Republicans are going to have to grapple with the Democrat majority now for the next two years. [2:56] Well, let's talk about the Democrats, because they've had a bit of a transformation of their party overall. [3:02] Where do you see this party now? [3:04] You sort of have this very delicate dance between the AOC wing of the party, which has now grown, with people like El Saeed and James Tallarico. [3:15] And then you have, you know, Hakeem Jeffries and, you know, Chuck Schumer, who is hanging by a thread for his leadership position. [3:23] You have people like James Tallarico, who said, as soon as the morning after Election Day, I want to work with President Trump on behalf of Texans. [3:31] I think that's a great thing. [3:32] We should have more Republicans and Democrats working together where we can. [3:37] But do I think it's going to happen? [3:38] No, I don't. [3:39] Because you had Representative Garcia. [3:41] His first statement after election night was lawyer up. [3:45] This is a party whose base is hellbent on political retribution, obstructionism, impeachment. [3:52] They don't want to do what's best for the voters whom elected them. [3:55] And so in two years, if Democrats don't take advantage of the majority they were just given by the people, [4:00] we could see the pendulum swing the other way. [4:03] And the president has actually said, to his credit, which maybe, Caroline, a lot of people didn't expect from President Trump, [4:08] he said, look, if they aren't destructive, I actually do want to work with the Democrats. [4:12] I think that that would be the best message to possibly send to the country. [4:17] Let's get things done. [4:18] Let's all come together. [4:20] What do you see happening in the White House over the next two years? [4:23] What do you think he's going to focus on? [4:25] Sure. Well, I've talked to the president a few times since the results on Tuesday night, [4:30] and he is calm and cool and collected about it. [4:33] I think he was an optimist, and he left it all on the field. [4:37] I mean, he did 30 rallies in 30 days. [4:39] He did 15 tele-rallies on the Monday before the election. [4:42] He really tried his best to get Republicans over the finish line, despite not being on the ballot himself. [4:47] I think he knew this was probably the likely outcome. [4:50] He tried anyway. He is not ever going to surrender on his core values of border security, [4:56] of law and order, of cutting taxes, of deregulation. [4:59] But I think he has shown an ability to work with Democrats across the aisle. [5:04] I've seen it, and he does not get enough credit for that. [5:07] You know, as press secretary, you held a position that very few have held. [5:12] Now that you've had a little time, what are some of your reflections and maybe greatest memories [5:17] as press secretary? Because I'm sure it was a fast two years, but you packed a lot into it. [5:24] Yeah, it was a grind. There's no doubt about it. [5:27] You know, people often remark that that job behind the podium is one of the most difficult jobs in politics, [5:32] and there were many days where that felt very true for me. [5:36] But it was an amazing experience. [5:38] It was so fun. I loved the job. [5:41] I loved the president. [5:42] I am so grateful to him for taking a chance on me, you know, youngest White House press secretary ever. [5:48] And it was just an amazing ride, and I'm so blessed for the opportunity. [5:52] But I'm also really blessed now to be able to spend so much time with my kids that I lacked when I was in the job [5:59] and to be home with them every day, to have slow mornings with them. [6:02] It's just a really beautiful season of life for my family. [6:05] So I look back with great fondness of the White House. [6:09] Sometimes I still can't believe I did it. [6:11] Like, I'll see clips of me or whatever at the podium, and I'm like, I can't believe I did that, but I'm glad I did. [6:18] What aren't we seeing, you know, there behind the scenes in the West Wing? [6:21] Every day when I would walk through the West Wing doors, there is a mat on the floor that has the presidential seal. [6:28] And I will always remember walking across that seal and always just thinking, like, thank you, God, for allowing me to be here [6:35] in the most powerful building and the most powerful country in the world. [6:39] But the days start really early in that place. [6:41] I mean, there were times, especially for me, on briefing days where I'd be the first one in the building. [6:46] I would literally put the lights on, like, before the janitors would show up to get ahead of the news cycle. [6:51] But people are there working until, you know, very late at night, sometimes 10, 11 p.m., midnight. [6:56] I mean, you go in the West Wing on a weekend in the middle of the afternoon, in the middle of the evening, [7:01] there's people in there working. You're governing the country, right? [7:04] The president himself. Right. [7:06] I mean, they had to hire more Marine centuries outside because the Marine stands outside the building when the president is in the Oval Office. [7:14] They had to pick up shifts to keep up with his schedule because he is there so late. [7:18] That's the Trump White House. [7:20] I've heard it's not like that under Biden and maybe some other presidents, but it is always busy. [7:26] And it's just a really fascinating and beautiful place. [7:29] Yeah. What a special experience for you to have. [7:32] Obviously, you left huge shoes to fill, Caroline. [7:35] I know you know that. You were really incredible at your job. [7:39] What advice would you give to another press secretary for President Trump or any going forward? [7:45] Yes. Well, I've talked to the president and there's a lot of good options. [7:49] There's a lot of qualified people who want the job and have been calling him and calling me for it. [7:54] You've got to do the work. You've got to prepare. [7:57] You have to really also understand the president and his thinking because you're charged with explaining his decisions and his rationale. [8:04] And, you know, one of the things I'm so grateful for was the access that he gave me. [8:10] He never questioned when I walked into the Oval Office. [8:12] He never questioned when I was in meetings in the Situation Room. [8:15] He understood I needed to be there so I could articulate his position, his view and what was happening behind the scenes. [8:23] And to that, I'm forever grateful because he really was able to set me up for success. [8:27] He understands the importance of the role of a press secretary. [8:30] And look, the man is his own best spokesperson, but he likes someone out there pushing the message for him, too. [8:36] And he should have that. He'll find somebody who is a great fit. [8:39] I'm confident in that. And I'll be there to help them every step of the way. [8:43] So looking forward, which is something we should always do, we will come to the end of President Trump's second term. [8:48] And Donald Trump will not be on the ballot anymore. [8:51] What kind of person should we be looking for to lead the Republican Party going forward, in your opinion? [8:55] Yeah, this is a reality that Republicans have to grapple with, right? [8:59] President Trump wasn't on the ballot in these midterms. [9:01] He'll never be at the top of the ticket again. [9:03] And I think we need somebody who is America first, who can really tap into the forgotten men and women [9:09] that President Trump drew to the Republican Party in historic way, from 2016 all the way through 2024. [9:16] You need someone who can really get out, speak to people about their struggles, their challenges, [9:22] relate to them, and offer promise and hope. [9:26] You know, I think that's something Democrats did well in this election in the midterms, [9:30] was they obviously inspired people to turn out to vote because they made the people feel like, [9:34] we're going to make your lives better, we need to do that again, the same way, [9:38] the same fashion President Trump did. [9:40] It just has to be a new person at the top of the ticket. [9:42] Could we ever see your name back on a ballot, Caroline Levin? [9:46] No, ma'am. [9:47] I am good. [9:48] I am so good. [9:49] I'm so happy being with my kids. [9:51] I have zero plans to run for office. [9:54] I'm all set. [9:54] But thanks for asking.