(20 Mar 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Washington, DC – 20 March 2025
1. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt walks toward press on White House driveway
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary:
"(Reporter question: Karoline, what do you say to critics of the president’s education move?)
Where was their criticism of our nation’s failing test scores for the last several decades? The Department of Education was founded in the 1970s, and since then, we have spent more than $3 trillion at this federal bureaucracy. What has been the return on that investment for the American taxpayer? Levels that are less than ideal, less than proficient? Our children’s test scores are incredibly concerning when it comes to reading rates, literacy rates, math and science test scores. The numbers prove that. And the president is finally, this president is finally taking much needed action to return education to where it belongs. And that’s to educators closest to students in their classrooms and their respective states."
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3. SOUNDBITE (English) Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary:
"So the Department of Education will be much smaller than it is today. As you know, the president’s executive order directed (Education Secretary) Linda McMahon to greatly minimize the agency. So when it comes to student loans and Pell grants, those will still be run out of the Department of Education. But we don’t need to be spending more than $3 trillion over the course of a few decades on a department that’s clearly failing in its initial intention to educate our students."
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4. SOUNDBITE (English) Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary:
"(Reporter question: What, if anything, is the president doing about Gaza? Is he trying to get the ceasefire back in play? What’s his plan?)
Well, the president made it very clear to Hamas that if they did not release all of the hostages, there would be all hell to pay. And unfortunately, Hamas chose to play games in the media with lives. This situation, let’s not forget, is completely the fault of Hamas, when they launched that brutal attack on Israel on October 7th. And the president has made it very clear that he wants all of those hostages to come home. And he fully supports Israel and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) and the actions that they’ve taken in recent days."
5. Leavitt listening to reporter questions
STORYLINE:
The White House on Thursday defended President Donald Trump’s plans to dismantle the Department of Education and move many of its functions to states and localities.
"We don’t need to be spending more than $3 trillion over the course of a few decades on a department that’s clearly failing in its initial intention to educate our students," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said to reporters gathered outside the White House.
Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Education Department, advancing a campaign promise to eliminate an agency that’s been a longtime target of conservatives.
On a separate topic, Levitt reiterated the administration’s support for Israel in its war against Hamas after a ceasefire was broken and both sides renewed attacks.
“The president made it very clear to Hamas that if they did not release all of the hostages there would be all hell to pay,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
"The president has made it very clear that he wants all of those hostages to come home. And he fully supports Israel and the IDF and the actions that they’ve taken in recent days," she said.
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