Renowned veteran journalist Peter Baker of The New York Times found himself taken aback by the fierce response from Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary for Donald Trump, during a recent exchange that highlighted the generational divide in political discourse. Leavitt, known for her bold demeanor despite her relative inexperience, did not hold back when Baker attempted to draw a parallel between Trump and Vladimir Putin in a tweet that echoed his experiences as a Moscow correspondent.

Baker, who has spent decades navigating the complexities of political reporting, admitted to feeling a mix of astonishment and respect for Leavitt’s tenacity. “I was shocked by her reaction,” he confessed. “It’s not every day you find yourself in a position where a young press secretary challenges the narrative so boldly.” He acknowledged that while he initially viewed her as inexperienced, her willingness to confront a seasoned journalist with such vigor shifted his perspective.

Donald Trump‘s press chief Karoline Leavitt tore into a New York Times reporter for trying to draw parallels between her boss and Vladimir Putin.

‘Having served as a Moscow correspondent in the early days of Putin’s reign, this reminds me of how the Kremlin took over its own press pool and made sure that only compliant journalists were given access,’ New York Times journalist Peter Baker wrote on X Tuesday.

The 27-year-old Leavitt responded to Baker’s X post with a clown emoji.

‘Give me a break, Peter,’ she wrote. ‘Moments after you tweeted this, the President invited journalists into the Oval and took questions for nearly an hour.

‘Your hysterical reaction to our long overdue and much needed change to an outdated organization is precisely why we made it.’

Then Leavitt made sure to hit the Times reporter with a personal jab.

‘Gone are the days where left-wing stenographers posing as journalists, such as yourself, dictate who gets to ask what,’ she wrote.

Baker’s barb came following Leavitt’s announcement that the government will now choose which reporters can access the White House briefing room and travel with the president.

Since the early 1900s the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) has decided which publications get presidential face time.

The WHCA is comprised of many mainstream outlets, and it has elections among its members to rule on access for journalists covering the president.

But that all went out the window on Tuesday, and now the Trump administration will decide who gets to most closely cover the commander in chief, Leavitt said.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called New York Times White House reporter Peter Baker a clown who was acting hysterically’ after comparing Trump to Putin amid the latest White House press shakeup

‘A group of DC-based journalists, the White House Correspondents’ Association, has long dictated which journalists get to ask questions of the President of the United States,’ Leavitt announced. ‘Not anymore.’

‘Today, I was proud to announce that we are giving the power back to the people. Moving forward, the ‘White House Press Pool,’ will be determined by the White House Press Team,’ she continued, adding legacy outlets will still be allowed to participate.

Baker, the NYT’s top White House reporter, lashed out at the administration again in another post, saying its clear they are  sending a message that those who ask questions that Trump doesn’t like will be barred from covering the president.

Carol Lee, NBC News White House Correspondent (L) and Peter Baker, Chief White House Correspondent, The New York Times (R) appear on Meet the Press in Washington, D.C. Sunday, March 19, 2023. Baker and Leavitt got into a spat on X

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (C) takes questions during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 25, 2025. Though the Trump has announced changes to press access, the West Wing’s briefing room has appeared the fullest it has in years.

Trump will be able to deem who has media access at the White House

‘Every president of both parties going back generations subscribed to the principle that a president doesn’t pick the press corps that is allowed in the room to ask him questions,’ Baker wrote.

‘Trump has just declared that he will.’

Baker also made sure to note how journalists, despite the government’s intervention in their operations, will continue to hold the White House to account.

‘None of this will stop professional news outlets from covering this president in the same full, fair, tough and unflinching way that we always have,’ he said. ‘Government efforts to punish disfavored organizations will not stop independent journalism.’

The two empty seats that traditionally would have been reserved for the Associated Press’ reporter and photographer are shown in the press cabin of Air Force One for the February 14 flight between Joint Base Andrews and West Palm Beach

A sign declaring ‘victory’ over the Gulf of America was an apparent jab at the Associated Press for their decision not to comply with the renaming of the area

Typically the pool is comprised of a reporter from each of the three wire services – the Associated Press, Reuters and Bloomberg – a television crew and correspondent, a print reporter, a radio reporter and five still photographers, which also includes the AP.

There are 13 press seats available on Air Force One – and media outlets pay for their flights on board the presidential aircraft.

Nobody took the seats of the AP reporter and photographer who were booted from Trump’s Presidents’ Day weekend trip to Mar-a-Lago and Miami over the ‘Gulf of America’ drama.