2026 02 05 Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Briefs Members of the Media, Feb. 5, 2026 part002 (14 28min)

where that election is up and down the ticket. And so this is a piece of federal legislation that will help states ensure the integrity and the sanctity of their elections. And that's what the President wants. Peter. Thanks, Caroline. President Trump posted about Nancy Guthrie that he is directing all federal law enforcement to be at the families and local law enforcement's complete disposal immediately. What should we expect to see from the federal government in coming days in the search to find Nancy Guthrie? It's a very good question, Peter. And it's why I was on the phone with the FBI earlier this morning to ask that. And what they told me is that the FBI, again, is at the disposal of the state and local government. Whatever personnel or assets or resources that the state and local authorities and police need will be granted to them at the direction of the President, the FBI director and the attorney general. A different law enforcement issue. The FBI just found a thousand samples inside an illegal biolab in Las Vegas. It is linked to a different biolab that was previously raided. There are ties to China. What does the President think the CCP might be up to here? I haven't spoken to him about this specific investigation from the FBI, but I'm happy to. And I'm sure he's very glad that this is something the FBI discovered, and we'll make sure anyone who is involved in illegal activity will be held accountable. And just one more about this weekend. At the Mar-a-Lago Super Bowl party, after the first two quarters, are the TVs going to be on the halftime show with Bad Bunny or the halftime show with Kid Rock? I think the President would much prefer a Kid Rock performance over Bad Bunny. I must say that, Jennifer. On the nuclear arms track, we saw the President's post on that. But can you say, is there a temporary agreement with Russia to stand by the terms of the new start for you while negotiations are happening? Not to my knowledge. Again, to your point, Jennifer, I just do want to reiterate exactly what the President said. He wrote just moments ago, the United States is the most powerful country in the world. I completely rebuilt its military in my first term, including new and many refurbished nuclear weapons. I also added space force, and now continue to rebuild our military at levels never seen before. We are even adding battleships, which are 100 times more powerful than the ones that roamed the seas during World War II. The Iowa, Missouri, Alabama, and others. I have stopped nuclear wars from breaking out across the world between Pakistan and India. I ran in Israel and Russia and Ukraine, rather than extend new start, a badly negotiated deal by the United States, which I will add is was renegotiated under former President Barack Obama, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated. The President wants to have our nuclear experts work on a new and improved and modernized treaty that can last long into the future, and that's what the United States will continue to discuss with the Russians. The President was asked and answered that question just yesterday. I've seen a lot of the media in this room get very caught up with the semantics of why Tulsi Gabbard is there. I will tell you why. And the President agrees with this, because election security is essential to national security. And as the Director of National Intelligence, it is a part of Miss Gabbard's role to make sure that American elections are free of foreign interference, and that American elections are safe and secure. And so the ODNI Director is working with the FBI on this effort, and the President wholeheartedly supports both Kashfetel and Tulsi Gabbard in ensuring that American elections are safe, are secure, and are free of foreign intervention. Is there any indication that there's foreign aid? Excuse me, once again. It's the media who has said that there's Russian interference in American elections. You guys have been saying that for many, many years. So the people are faulting. Well, the people in this room, considering that you all said for many years that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump, you should all be very happy that we finally have an administration that is looking into that, and we'll be happy to keep you posted, Michael. Thanks, Caroline. With the FBI's involvement in the search for Nancy Guthrie, now has this search expanded nationwide, outside of Arizona, and given Pima County's proximity to Mexico, is this now an international search? Well, Michael, that would be a question for state and local authorities, as they continue to oversee the investigation at this time. Again, the federal government and the FBI have offered any and all resources, but the state and local authorities are still leading the investigation, so I would direct you to them. I'm certainly not in a position to talk about it. One other question, Caroline. Our Friday's talks with Iran. They were originally supposed to take place in Turkey. They now have been moved to Oman. Can you tell us the reason for that move? Look, the President's diplomacy is always his first option when it comes to dealing with countries all around the world, whether it's our allies or our adversaries. And so Special Envoy Whitkopf and Jared Kushner will be traveling to Oman for those talks tomorrow, and we will see what comes of those. The President is standing by for an update from them. Caroline. I'm sorry. In the paint. Thank you, Caroline. The Cuban leader, Miguel Diaz Camila, said today that Cuba would be willing to engage in dialogue with the United States only without pressure, without preconditions, on equal footing and with respect for sovereignty. But his government is denying what President Trump said that there are already holding talks. How would you respond to that? I think the fact that the Cuban government is on its last leg and its country is about to collapse. They should be wise and their statements directed towards the President of the United States. But as I just reiterated, the President is always willing to engage in diplomacy, and I believe that something that is taking place, in fact, with the Cuban government. Thank you, Caroline. So the Office of Personal Management released a final rule today that makes it easier to fire government employees who are not doing their job, basically. Does the President believe that there are people in his government still that are not following his agenda? That's a good question. I have not asked him about that. I mean, look, it's a very big government, right? There are thousands of people who work for the federal government here in Washington, D.C. This administration has been very much focused on ensuring that we have an efficient and productive workforce for the American taxpayer. There's not a day that goes by where we don't show up and realize we are public servants working on behalf of the American people and everybody in the federal government best have that mindset or they won't be welcome to work for this administration. So I think it's a good thing that the Office of Personal Management put this rule out. I think if people aren't doing their jobs, if they aren't showing up for work, if they're not working hard on behalf of this President, they're not welcome to work for him at all. Your city mayor is dealing with a $12 billion budget deficit. If he texted President Trump, would the President bail him out? I'll leave that answer to the President himself, Ed. One more follow-up on Gabbard. You said that the President supports the fact that she was there, but last night when he was asked about it, he said he didn't know why she was there. He didn't say that he directed her. Can you clarify on that? Did she go by herself and look, he learned later and supports it? Well, did you look at the full entirety of his response? I was in the room for that NBC interview, Kristen, and he just said exactly what I told you, which is that election security is essential to national security. We need to ensure that our elections are free and are fair, and are free of foreign interference. And he spoke about how Ms. Tulsi Gabbard is involved in that effort. So you're taking the first three words that he said to one question and not looking at his entire response. The follow-up on what you said about foreign interference. You talked about 2016 and Russian interference, but what we've learned from these Georgia officials is what was seized by the FBI, were ballots from 2020 in this Fulton County Election Center. Do you have any evidence that there was international interference in the 2020 election in this election center? What I do have evidence of and what the media seems to be undermining is why Tulsi Gabbard is there in the first place. And I would point you again to federal law that clearly assigns the DNI and the office with the statutory responsibility to lead counter intel matters related to election security. This includes assessing risks to election voting systems, software, voter registration databases, and more and analyzing foreign interference. And the ODNI is responsible for supporting the White House Interagency Action to secure our elections through intel analysis and vulnerability assessments. And they should be routinely collaborating with agencies like the DHS, the DOJ, and the FBI. So as for that question, it would be better suited to ask the Director of National Intelligence herself in her office. But what I'm telling you is that it is more than appropriate. In fact, it is Tulsi Gabbard's job to ensure that our elections are safe and secure, and that's exactly what she's been doing on the ground in Georgia. And I don't understand why anyone in this room, considering you're all American citizens, I believe, and like to vote in our nation's elections, I should have any problem with that whatsoever. Thank you, Caroline. The President said that the administration should take a softer approach on immigration enforcement. He's also suggested for months that some migrant workers should be spared from these raids based on what they're doing. Is the administration going to continue to conduct large worksite raids as it seeks to target violent criminals? And can you clarify, is the federal government going to continue doing these deportation operations in blue cities where authorities say they don't want them? Well, first, again, to the President's answer yesterday, the full context of his answer was that he'd like to see a softer touch, but we are always going to remain tough. That softer touch the President is referring to is that cooperation that is necessary between state and local authorities and federal government authorities to ensure that we can continue deporting illegal aliens from our communities without tons of agents having to go after one illegal alien. If the states and the local governments just turn over their illegal aliens to ice at jails as they should be doing, it requires one agent to deport that one illegal alien who can then go on their way to their home country in a peaceful manner. The escalation that we've seen take place in Minnesota is a direct result of the refusal of state and local officials to cooperate with the federal government and with ICE, which has led to these hostile and dangerous environments. And so we don't want that. Again, the President wants direct cooperation, and that's what he was referring to. As for work site raids, I don't broadcast any future action that may or may not happen from the Department of Homeland Security, but again, the President's focus and the administration's focus is on targeting illegal alien criminals, especially those who have committed heinous crimes in our country as evidenced by the few illegal aliens that I just shared with you here today. I realize that we're a ritual of going to other blue cities where the local officials are saying we won't work with you. We don't want you here. Well, first of all, those local officials should be wanting to work with ICE. Why would any official, whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, want murderers and predators in your city? It makes zero sense. It's an untenable position. The only reason Democrats are taking that position now is because their entire party platform is just anti-Trump. It makes no sense for the American people. They should be calling this White House. They should be calling Secretary Nome. They should be calling Tom Homan. And they should be saying we want to work with you to remove the worst of the worst criminals from our city. Please come here. So yes, ICE is going to continue to do their job and cities and communities across the country, but it certainly makes it much easier when we have that level of cooperation and corroboration at the state and local level in places like Florida where there has been the arrest of thousands, tens of thousands of illegal alien criminals. None of you talk about that or none of you hear about that, because these operations are going seamlessly and peacefully. Why? Because there is an intimate cooperation between the state government and the federal government, and that's what the President wants to see in all 50 states. And the White, yes. Hi, thank you, Caroline. Over the weekend, President Trump said that he was giving a serious look at endorsing in the Texas Republican Senate primary. We know that Minnesota and Georgia also have competitive crowded primaries. Is he getting those races a serious look as well? Well, I'm not allowed to speak from the podium on any future political endorsements the President may or may not make, but I know that he is watching all of these races across the country. Quite carefully, I won't get ahead of him on any potential endorsements. Thank you, Caroline. Two questions for you about the continuing resolution at the President's sign for the Department of Homeland Security. What would be the repercussions for all of the agencies under DHS if no agreement is reached on funding when that deadline approaches next Friday? Well, there will be grave repercussions for all of those agencies, but more importantly, frankly, for the American people who those agencies serve. And that's exactly what the President and the White House want to avoid. Again, we want to keep the government funded. We want the Department of Homeland Security, of course, to be up and operationalized and continuing as necessary to protect our homeland, to secure our border, to ensure the brave men and women of the United States Coast Guard are getting paid, the brave men and women of the United States Secret Service, who protect the President, the Vice President, and, frankly, all of you in this building every day continue to receive the paychecks that they so well deserve. And so that's why the White House will engage in these talks with Democrats. But again, the President is never going to cave on this administration's core promise to deport illegal aliens from our country. You say, Caroline, is your statement that they're...