Press Briefing: Karoline Leavitt Briefs Reporters on Board Air Force One - August 14, 2026

Can you us through some of the themes of the speech the president's going to hit on today in New York?

Yeah. This could be on the record. It's going to be a heavy law and order focused speech. The crowd is packed, thousands of people, both inside and outside of the venue. Um, and there will be a big law enforcement presence in the crowd, local and federal law enforcement. Uh, Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director, Kash Patel, will be there to reveal the latest crime statistics, which are quite staggering.

The president's going to talk about how much we've done to reduce violent crime in the country and put bad people behind bars, so it's going to be a great speech. A lot of energy. He's excited.

Uh, Secretary Bessent talks about potential more economic action against Iran. He said, stay tuned. What do you guys have in mind? How is it going to be different than the already tensions like the ones that you have already?

I won't get ahead of Secretary Bessent, or the president, but there are more tools at our disposal that we can use to continue punishing Iran and crippling their economy, which is in a very weak spot as it is right now.

Would you -- would you like, target any of the Chinese companies, because --

I don't want to get ahead of any more details.

Did the president respond to the claims from Ukraine that the conditions aren't being provided fast enough, that there aren't enough munitions?

That Ukraine doesn't have enough munitions?

That the US isn't providing them.

Well, look, this is an issue that President Trump has spoken directly with President Zelenskyy about as recently as their meeting a couple of weeks ago in the Oval Office.

Um, the president's been very clear on our position on munitions. Unfortunately, tragically, President Joe Biden gave away a lot to Ukraine and other countries around the world. The president, since day one, has been focused on rebuilding our arsenal. With that said, contrary to much of the reporting in the media, the United States has more than enough munitions stockpiled here at home and all around the world to accomplish any mission that the commander in chief green lights.

But obviously, this president has been far more judicious than the last one with respect to just sending our munitions overseas to other countries. He wants to rebuild our base here at home, and the military is working on that. I know Secretary Hegseth has made this a big priority.

Is there a response to the claim that the US must be low then on munitions? I mean, is there a concern that -–

Look, again, the president's been quite clear, as has Secretary Hegseth. We have more than enough that we need to finish -- finish the job in Iran, if necessary, but also protect our homeland as well.

Are you excited for next steps for you and your family?

I am. Yes, it's very bittersweet, as I said in my statement. I absolutely love my job, but I love being a mom more and it's time for me, on a personal level, but as the president said, I'll remain very close by and looking forward to continue to work with him and the party to defy history [Inaudible]

I want to ask you about, the vice president, I think today, if not yesterday, said that the number one goal now is for the Iran conference to keep oil and gas prices low. We were just watching on Fox.

Yeah.

Is -- it seems like that's a little different than weeks ago, when it was all about stopping Iran to get a nuclear weapon. It's the number one goal? Have those goals shifted from the [Inaudible]

Look, I think both goals are equally as important to the president, right? Of course, we want to keep gas prices low. That's why the administration has done so much to keep the market stable but also, ensuring Iran can never get a nuclear weapon is the president's priority, with respect to the ongoing conflict.

And it's something he's going to see through one way or another. OK, guys. We'll see you there.

Thank you.

Karoline, just want to clarify a question that you just gave to Taylor, that your [Inaudible]

Yeah, we can just do it all on the record.

All on the record?

They're going to know it's me, anyway.

Thank you.

Bye, guys.