The White House press briefing took an intense turn when Fox News’ Peter Doocy confronted Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt over the dramatic stock market drop. With the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunging over a thousand points on Monday—closing at -890—Doocy wasted no time pressing for answers.

Did the White House Short the Dow?

At the center of the exchange was Doocy’s direct question: “You’re sure nobody here at the White House shorted the Dow?”

Leavitt, caught off guard, let out a laugh before dismissing the idea. “No, I don’t think so,” she responded.

But Doocy didn’t back down. He pushed further, shifting the focus to the impact on federal employees. “Is there any concern here that it’s going to be harder to ask certain federal workers to retire if they look at their retirement accounts and they’re getting rocked every day?”

Leavitt Defends Trump’s Economic Policies

Leavitt quickly pivoted to defending the administration’s economic strategy, linking it to President Trump’s “America First” trade policies.

“Well, I’m glad you brought up workers, because that’s exactly who President Trump is looking out for,” she said.

She reassured the press that despite the market volatility, the administration remained focused on strengthening the economy. “Investors, CEOs, small business owners, but most importantly, workers should bet on President Trump,” she stated confidently.

Trump’s Tariffs Take Center Stage

Leavitt also doubled down on the administration’s tariff policies, calling them a key part of a fair trade agenda.

“His tariff policies, what he envisions, is reciprocity,” she said. “Fair trade practices, where American workers are put first and are no longer ripped off by foreign countries all over the world.”

Doocy’s Relentless Approach

Before the press briefing even began, Doocy set the tone with a live report highlighting the stock market’s turmoil. His questions reflected growing concerns about economic uncertainty, particularly regarding how the downturn might affect everyday Americans.

Leavitt, however, remained firm in her stance, sticking to the administration’s message. Whether her reassurances will ease market fears remains to be seen, but Doocy’s questioning left no doubt—tensions over the economy are only getting started.