Leavitt previews Trump’s primetime speech: Election ‘adjustments’ coming

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt offered a vague preview of President Trump’s speech set for Thursday night, saying he will show that elections aren’t as secure as people think.

“I think all Americans — Democrat, Republican — should agree that we are the greatest country in the history of the world. We should have the safest and most secure elections in the history of the world,” Leavitt said.

“And what the president will be speaking about tonight will show you that perhaps that is not the case, and we need to make some adjustments moving forward, including the SAVE America Act,” she added, referring to the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act.

Leavitt pushed back against questions from reporters about why Trump won’t let go of the claims that the 2020 election was stolen and that he views this as more important than the economy and conflict with Iran.

“You’re jumping ahead to a conclusion in the speech before even hearing it yourself,” she said. “I think that everyone should tune in tonight, including the people in this room, and you should report on the president’s speech and the findings that he is going to reveal in the speech with a little bit of honesty and a little bit of integrity because … it will shock you if you have an honest eye listening to the president tonight.”

She said she had seen a lot of misreporting about the speech’s contents and that “everything” he says will be backed by evidence.

It’s unclear if networks and cable news outlets will air Trump’s primetime address later Thursday.

The president has spent years talking about how the 2020 election was stolen and rigged from him in favor of former President Biden. He has provided no evidence the election was stolen and courts have dismissed his claims.

Some lawmakers have called on the networks to not air the speech, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).

“I don’t think we should be contributing to any platforming of lies about our elections,” she told reporters on Capitol Hill. “Many news outlets often times may receive transcripts, and I think we have an ethical obligation to not air things that undermine our elections are not rooted in facts.”

Leavitt urged networks to take the speech.

“I think that mainstream media should air the president’s speech and allow the American people to draw their own opinions from it,” she said. “Again, it’s important that the American public hears directly from the president of the United States on a topic that, to your point, is very near and dear to the hearts of many Americans across the country.”

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