White House plans media attack as press crackdown begins

The David Pakman Show - April 23, 2026

Already a website member? Watch the show commercial-free here | Want to become a member? Sign up here

Donald Trump is preparing a controlled appearance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where he criticizes media outlets over coverage of his administration and the Iran war. He plans to avoid press recognition segments, including about reporting tied to Jeffrey Epstein, and is expected to exit early.

The FBI investigated a New York Times reporter for routine actions such as contacting sources and sending emails, redefining journalism as potential criminal conduct. Officials are also discussing applying harassment or stalking laws.

Karoline Leavitt described Trump as “humanitarian” while downplaying concerns about Iran seizing non-U.S. ships, arguing it did not violate the ceasefire. She also claimed NATO failed to support the U.S., despite the alliance not being obligated to do so under Article 5.

Leavitt stated that Trump will personally decide the duration of the war and avoided direct answers about whether his public statements affected negotiations. When asked about Iranian messaging, she urged reporters to trust the administration’s claims over public statements.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. backed up Trump’s claim that a $600 drug reduced to $10 is a 600% reduction, arguing that Trump has a different way of calculating percentages. The actual reduction is about 98%.

Donald Trump publicly promised that electricity bills would be cut by 50% within a year, a claim that can be directly checked by consumers. Available data and personal billing show no such reduction.

Polling data shows 31% of Republicans disapprove of Trump, which is higher than his typical party dissent but still leaves a majority in support. Among independents, 76% disapprove.

Finally, Senator Bill Cassidy reviewed studies cited by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during congressional testimony and found that one study contradicts the claim he was asserting, while another was published before the vaccine in question existed.

On today’s bonus show:

Congressional Republicans weigh whether to approve Trump's war, Oversight members debate a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, Devin Nunes steps down after massive Trump Media stock collapse, and much more...

Already a website member? Watch the bonus show here | Want to become a member? Sign up here

---

Don’t miss the full show with these stories and others, plus all of our analysis.

This episode is available completely free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.