White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sparked skepticism on Monday after making a bold claim about President Donald Trump’s work ethic during an interview on Fox News.
“I just want to say to your audience: There’s not a more hardworking president than Donald J. Trump,” Leavitt said. “I witness it with my own two eyes every day. That man is working around the clock. He hardly ever sleeps.”
While Trump’s habit of posting on social media in the middle of the night lends some credibility to the sleeplessness claim, critics were quick to question the rest of her statement.
Many pointed to the president’s frequent consumption of cable news—often followed by online rants—and his well-documented love of golf. In fact, Trump has reportedly spent nearly 40 out of his first 175 days in office on the golf course. According to a HuffPost analysis, the cost of those golf outings had already topped $26 million by March 29—most of it funded by taxpayers and, in part, funneled back into his own resorts.
These expenses come amid sweeping cuts across federal programs and reduced access to essential public services.
During Trump’s first term, the president was known for long stretches of “executive time”—up to nine hours a day, according to Politico—much of it spent tweeting, watching television, or calling friends.
In light of that record, many on X (formerly Twitter) were quick to mock Leavitt’s remarks and question the image of a tireless commander-in-chief.