Trump Claims 'Shades' Karoline Leavitt, Claims 'Bad' Comms Team Are Failing To Tell The Truth

President Donald Trump marked the first anniversary of his second term on Tuesday as he criticised aides for failing to promote what he described as '365 days of wins', prompting a public defence from his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt.

The 79-year-old president took over the podium during a White House press briefing on 20 January 2026 and delivered a wide-ranging, two-hour address. He focused on his administration's economic record and policy achievements while voicing frustration with how his team communicated those results to the public.

Trump said his advisers failed to adequately present a year of consistent success and argued that voters overlooked many victories because the administration did not highlight them clearly.

Earlier in the briefing, Leavitt, 28, praised the president's record and said he had achieved more in one year than many administrations manage across two terms. She promoted the appearance on social media as featuring a "very special guest" and described the anniversary as a significant milestone for the administration.

After the president's remarks, Leavitt defended him and said his criticism reflected high expectations and a determination to ensure the public understood the administration's achievements. She said the communications team remained focused on presenting what it considers tangible gains for Americans.

The 365-Day Victory Lap: Bragging Rights and Briefing Packets

Brandishing a thick, 31-page dossier titled 365 Wins in 365 Days, Trump stood before a room of reporters and effectively took over the briefing. The packet, a curated list of what the administration calls a 'new era of success', served as the foundation for his sprawling narrative.

'We've done more than any other administration has done by far,' he boasted, suggesting that reading the full list of achievements would take a week.

Trump's rhetoric was firmly fixed on the contrast between his first year back and the 'terrible mess' he claims to have inherited from Joe Biden.

He pointed to a 'miraculous' economic turnaround, claiming to have inherited sky-high numbers and brought them down across the board, save for the stock market and 401Ks, which he insists are at historic peaks. 'We brought down eggs immediately,' he noted, citing specific grocery prices as evidence of his administration's efficiency.

Friendly Fire: Trump Critiques the Comms Strategy

Despite the celebratory theme, Trump couldn't resist a public swipe at the very team tasked with telling his story. In a move that left onlookers questioning the standing of his press office, he suggested that his historic wins were being obscured by poor messaging.

'I'm not getting — maybe I have bad public relations people, but we're not getting it across,' he declared, effectively 'shading' Leavitt as she stood just feet away.

This public critique is particularly poignant given Leavitt's personal circumstances. The New Hampshire native, already a mother to 18-month-old Nicholas 'Niko' Robert Riccio, is due to give birth to a daughter in May.

Despite the 'bad PR' jab, Leavitt has remained a staunch defender of the President, previously praising both Trump and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for fostering a 'pro-family environment' within the West Wing.

As Trump departed for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland following a brief delay due to a minor electrical fault on Air Force One, the briefing room was left to digest a year's worth of data and a single, sharp critique.

While the President continues to dominate the global stage with threats of Greenland annexations and Arctic security frameworks, the internal friction suggests that even a year of 'wins' isn't enough to satisfy a President who believes his story is still being told the wrong way.