White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., November 12, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s desperate attempts to provide cover to President Donald Trump is hitting snags this week as more damning information on the Epstein files trickles out of the House Oversight Committee.

Democrats released new emails raising fresh questions about the relationship between convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and Trump. The letters suggest Trump was well aware of Epstein’s trafficking, with the Bulwark reporting “it’s gotten so bad that the White House is now privately pressuring Republicans to stop trying to get the Epstein files released.”

But now that it looks like the discharge petition calling for release of the files will get it’s required 218 votes, Trump is angrily warning Republicans not to sign on, which critics say further implicates him in Epstein’s crimes and provides another sign of Trump’s mounting anxiety.

With the new information buzzing around her, Leavitt had difficulty clinging to her argument of the Epstein issue being a “hoax” at a Wednesday press meeting.

When asked by a reporter: "You said the Epstein documents are a hoax ... So what is the theory since these documents came from the Epstein estate,” Leavitt replied: "I did not say the documents are a hoax. I said the entire narrative surrounding Jeffrey Epstein right now ... is a hoax that is being perpetuated by opportunistic Democrats like Ro Khanna."

But another reporter demanded, "What exactly is the hoax? I'm just trying to understand what's fake?"

Leavitt responded: "The hoax is Democrats pretending to care about victims of crime. ... It is a distraction."

Social media did not hide its disdain at her struggle.

“That's going in the top 10 of wildest statements made by this administration,” said one commenter on X.

“You can see her brain working overtime on this one,” said another.

Other critics dragged Leavitt’s lack of resources to deal with the size of Trump’s mess.

“This airhead graduated from a very non-competitive university with a bachelor’s degree only 6 years ago, and tries to portray herself as some deep intellectual,” the commenter posted on X. “Her only skills are sucking up to men in power and lying.

“Seriously, why does anyone even speak with her?” another critic asked.