Karoline Leavitt Faces Backlash Over Misleading Iran War Claims

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sparked a wave of online ridicule after asserting that Americans overwhelmingly support the ongoing conflict in Iran. In a post on X, she claimed, “Americans Agree that Operation Epic Fury Is an Overwhelming Success,” linking to White House polls that purportedly indicated 80 to 90 percent approval among respondents.

However, scrutiny revealed a significant flaw in her argument: the data she referenced primarily reflected the opinions of staunch MAGA supporters, neglecting the broader spectrum of American sentiment.

Leavitt's post was met with a Community Note on X, which clarified, “The White House’s polls mentioned in the link only refer to MAGA Republicans or Republicans being in favor of the war, not the broader American public. This excludes Democrats and Independents being polled, which skews the data and misrepresents America’s views as a whole.”

Critics were quick to voice their discontent. Journalist Mehdi Hasan pointed out the inconsistency, stating, “She is linking to an article showing only MAGA Republicans support the war, and then claiming ‘Americans agree’ with it. Her own link shows her to be a liar. She’s a proud and open liar. Reporters should treat her as such.”

Another user, The Patriot Voice, a conservative account boasting over 185,000 followers, expressed frustration with Leavitt's narrative manipulation. "NO THE HELL WE DO NOT," he exclaimed. "STOP GASLIGHTING US!"

Similarly, a right-wing account named "ConservativeG99" questioned the effectiveness of Leavitt's claims. "Do they really think this is going to work?" she asked. "Gaslighting and propaganda don't work anymore, lady. Absolute insanity."

Glenn Greenwald, a prominent critic of the Iran war, countered Leavitt's assertions by sharing a Reuters-Ipsos poll indicating that nearly 60 percent of Americans disapprove of the conflict.

Despite the backlash, Leavitt remained undeterred. On Friday, she shared another poll from Politico that highlighted strong support for Trump among his base regarding the war in Iran. “As I've said repeatedly, Americans trust President Trump as their Commander-in-Chief and support his efforts to eliminate terrorist threats and keep us safe,” she stated. “There is no 'MAGA fracturing,' no matter how many times the media tries to claim otherwise.”