'Lying for Trump Must Be Exhausting': Karoline Leavitt Faces Backlash Over President's Cuba Remark

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has defended President Donald Trump's comments about Cuba during a recent press briefing.

When asked about the president's remarks, Leavitt claimed that Trump had been referring to the fall of the Cuban regime rather than a military threat against the country.

This comes days after Trump jokingly took a jibe at the press secretary, stating that the latter has been doing a "terrible job."

During a recent White House briefing, a reporter asked Leavitt what Trump’s “Cuba is next” comment meant to Americans and what Cubans could expect in relation to this statement. Defending the president's intentions, Leavitt came out in support of Trump.

Claiming that Trump had later clarified his remarks, the press secretary said, “He meant the Cuban regime is bound to fall. The country is very weak.”

She said the Caribbean country is economically in a "very weak position" and that the Cuban people are dissatisfied with their government. Leavitt added, "These talks and discussions continue to happen at the highest level of our government."

Leavitt, however, admitted, "I don't have any updates or announcements for you with respect to Cuba policy today, though." She was referring to the remarks that Trump had made in March 2026, as he spoke about the U.S. military’s success in Venezuela and Iran.

During a speech at an investment forum in Miami, Trump discussed the economic crisis in Cuba and suggested his administration had opened negotiations with the Cuban leadership. He also vaguely referenced the possible use of military force.

Trump said, “I built this great military. I said, 'You'll never have to use it.' ​But sometimes you have to use it. And Cuba is ​next by the way.” The president added, “But pretend I didn't ‌say ⁠that. Pretend I didn't.”

The comments drew attention amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran.

A video clip of Leavitt's remarks about Trump's statements circulated on social media, sparking criticism from a number of users on social media platform X.

One user wrote, “You can see the anxiety on Leavitt’s face. Constant spin and being on the defensive every single question will do that. She’s got to be on some heavy medication.”

Another user wrote, “Kind of like the way we are fed up with our government in the U.S.?” A third user commented, “The only regime that needs to fall is the [expletive] regime ruining this [expletive] that used to be a country!”

An individual stated, “Lying for tRUmp must be exhausting.” One user remarked, “This [expletive] must think we're all [expletive] idiots.”