1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: So, Caroline and I are currently in Washington, d C. 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: We just went for a walk around the White House 3 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: grounds and now we are sitting here in the South Auditorium. 4 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 1: How are you feeling. 5 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 2: I'm feeling great. I am feeling excited to join you. 6 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 2: I think what you do is amazing, it's different, it's cool, 7 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 2: it's new, and happy to sit down with you. 8 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: Well, you are juggling a lot, as I'm sure a 9 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:24,120 Speaker 1: lot of you guys know that are watching or listening. 10 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: Caroline is the Press Secretary of the United States, and 11 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: I just have to add in that she is the 12 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: youngest Press secretary in history. You're also a new mom. Yeah, 13 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: this show is centered around movement. What role does movement 14 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: currently play in your life? Because I know you were 15 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: an athlete growing up. 16 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:44,239 Speaker 2: I was an athlete growing up. I played sports my 17 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 2: entire life. I would to college on an athletic scholarship 18 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 2: to play softball, and working out and fitness has always 19 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 2: been a big part of my life. Unfortunately, with the 20 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 2: demands of this job and new motherhood, fitness and my 21 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 2: personal time has been kind of put on the back burner. 22 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 2: But any moment I can to get out and to 23 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 2: move I do, especially now. My new favorite exercise is 24 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 2: taking long power walks with my baby and pushing him 25 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,040 Speaker 2: in the stroller. And he loves to go out on walks. 26 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:16,479 Speaker 2: He's so observant. He loves to look at the trees 27 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:18,400 Speaker 2: and the birds, and now being in the city, he 28 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 2: loves it. So that's kind of the movement in my 29 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,320 Speaker 2: life right now is with my son and being outside 30 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: and bringing him on long walks. 31 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: You grew up in New Hampshire. Can you tell us 32 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,119 Speaker 1: a little bit about your upbringing and maybe what young 33 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:31,039 Speaker 1: Caroline was like. 34 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 2: Yeah? Sure, So I grew up in a small, tiny 35 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 2: town in New Hampshire, very rural, working class, blue collar. 36 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 2: My family owned small businesses in the town, an ice 37 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 2: cream shop and a truck dealership, which my dad and 38 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 2: family still run, and so it was just typical middle 39 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 2: class America upbringing in a great town and community. I 40 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 2: have two older brothers, so we were always outside playing 41 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 2: and playing sports. And then I went to college in 42 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 2: New Hampshire as well, and that's where I fell in 43 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: love with politics. But growing up as a young girl, 44 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 2: I always was enthralled with the news and would read 45 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 2: the newspaper as a young child, wanted to watch TV 46 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 2: and watch the news, which is not very typical for 47 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 2: most young kids, and so I think it was my 48 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 2: destiny to be working in this media and news world 49 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 2: that I'm obviously now in. 50 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: I mean, you definitely seem like you are made for it, 51 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 1: and I'm excited for everybody today to learn your story 52 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:28,799 Speaker 1: because it truly is so interesting and I feel like 53 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 1: for women listening, it's very empowering and motivational. It's interesting 54 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: knowing that you grew up in a family that you 55 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:38,959 Speaker 1: said wasn't political, but you did always love reading the news. Yes, 56 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 1: do you think you always saw yourself going into politics 57 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 1: or when you were younger in high school playing softball, 58 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: playing sports, did you potentially see yourself pursuing a different career. 59 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:52,519 Speaker 2: I saw myself pursuing a career in maybe broadcast journalism. 60 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 2: In fact, my mom has home videos of my brothers 61 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 2: and me pretending to be sports broadcasters and pretending to 62 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,959 Speaker 2: work for ESPN and sharing the news stories of the 63 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 2: day on our little old home video camera. I'm like 64 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:06,959 Speaker 2: aging myself. But growing up in the nineties and early 65 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 2: two thousands, right, you had the home video cameras, and 66 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 2: so my mom still has those tapes, and I always 67 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 2: again loved reading the newspaper, and I had a curiosity 68 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 2: about the world and the world around me. So when 69 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: I was in high school and then college, I pursued 70 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 2: opportunities writing for the school newspaper, starting a broadcasting club. 71 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 2: Like I was just always always had a curiosity, an 72 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 2: innate curiosity about the world and what was happening. 73 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: I think what's so interesting about you two is not 74 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: only are you the youngest press secretary ever at twenty seven, 75 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: but at twenty five, you were the youngest nominee for 76 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: congressional office in major party history. So growing up, were 77 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: you always one of those kids that was hypermotivated. 78 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 2: Yes, I would say, and I grew up in a 79 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 2: small business family that was entrepreneurial and worked really hard. 80 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 2: I think that work ethic was just part of our 81 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 2: household and think it led me to where I am now. 82 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: When your parents we were running the ice cream stand 83 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: and the truck dealership, did you pick up shifts? Oh? 84 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 2: Yes, My first job in life was scooping ice cream, 85 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 2: and my mom we hired a lot of my friends. 86 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 2: So my girlfriends and I who are still my best 87 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,280 Speaker 2: friends to this day, would all work together, long days, 88 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:18,839 Speaker 2: long shifts, scooping ice cream in the summer sun. But 89 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 2: it was some of my best memories from life and 90 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 2: a lot of fun. 91 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: What would you say was your parents' parenting style? 92 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,599 Speaker 2: Discipline was a reality in the household, but also a 93 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 2: lot of love and support and pushing us to be 94 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 2: the best that we could, but high expectations, right, Like 95 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 2: my dad always had to say in growing up, the 96 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 2: parents go to work and the kids go to school. 97 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:43,160 Speaker 1: We were not. 98 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 2: Allowed to miss school even if we didn't feel well. 99 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 2: Like you get up and you go to school, and 100 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 2: the parents get up and go to work. So it 101 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,359 Speaker 2: was an amazing childhood. And I'm very blessed to have 102 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 2: parents who are still together. They've been married more than 103 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 2: thirty five years, and you know, they had humble beginnings, 104 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 2: but they've worked very hard and they're very supportive, of 105 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:02,599 Speaker 2: course to this day, of everything that I've done in 106 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 2: my life thus far. 107 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: I mean, they must be so proud of you. I 108 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,720 Speaker 1: think they are. Let's talk about you discovering your political spark. 109 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 1: I loved hearing that you really came into yourself in college, 110 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: Like college was a very pivotal time in your life, right. 111 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I went on a softball scholarship, but quickly 112 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 2: learned it was politics was the game that I was 113 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 2: most interested in playing, and so I gave up the 114 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 2: softball team after two seasons because I wanted to throw 115 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:29,719 Speaker 2: myself in as many academic opportunities as possible. I studied 116 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 2: abroad in Italy, which was an amazing time of life. 117 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 2: But I started the broadcasting club and I wrote for 118 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,119 Speaker 2: the school newspaper. I worked at the local news station 119 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 2: in New Hampshire WMRTV and did weekend shifts working in 120 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 2: the newsroom, and I just tried to seek out every opportunity. 121 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 2: And then I applied for the White House internship as well, 122 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:49,840 Speaker 2: which led me to working for President Trump in his 123 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 2: first term here about eight years ago or so, which 124 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:55,919 Speaker 2: is amazing to think how it's come full circle. But 125 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:59,919 Speaker 2: it was in college that I certainly learned I enjoyed politics, 126 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 2: and enjoyed debating, and enjoyed reading about different perspectives and 127 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 2: really was fascinated by this entire political world. 128 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:11,359 Speaker 1: When do you feel like in college you really found 129 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 1: your voice? Because I feel like the hardest thing about 130 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: being a college student is not only figuring out what 131 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: you believe in but then figuring out how to vocalize it. 132 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 1: So let's talk about that coming of age for you. 133 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, and certainly as a Republican and as a young 134 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 2: conservative on college campuses, you are in the minority. It's 135 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 2: just the reality of the age we live in. And 136 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,480 Speaker 2: so I feel as though it could be more difficult, 137 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 2: especially for conservatives like myself, to have that courage to 138 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 2: voice your opinion when you're in the minority. But I 139 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 2: always just had the courage and felt very strongly about 140 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,039 Speaker 2: my views and opinions and wrote about them in the 141 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 2: school newspaper, raised my hand in class and made it 142 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 2: well known amongst the class and my peers. 143 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:53,840 Speaker 1: You just have to have courage. 144 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 2: And I've found that courage is contagious and when you 145 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 2: speak up and speak your mind about how you feel, 146 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 2: it often inspires others around you to do the same. 147 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:04,360 Speaker 1: And so I just did it. When you first started 148 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 1: writing articles for the newspaper and you started the Broadcast 149 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 1: club on campus, you were writing some bold political pieces. 150 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: I wrote one of them down. One of the titles 151 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: of your articles was why Donald Trump keeps on winning. 152 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: Outside of just that article, when you first published your 153 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 1: first kind of opinion piece in the school newspaper or 154 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:27,119 Speaker 1: maybe spoke about it in the journals in the broadcast club. 155 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: Were you nervous to press the submit button or were 156 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: you excited to maybe get your ideas out there. 157 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 2: I was excited and enthusiastic about it. I don't recall 158 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 2: being nervous. Maybe I was at the time, but I 159 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 2: felt strongly about those opinions. 160 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: Did you ever cause a stare on campus? There were 161 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 1: a few stories, Okay, give us the story. There were 162 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: a few controversies, and there were certainly professors that were 163 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: very liberal and did not agree with me or the 164 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 1: opinions that I held, and I made that, you know, 165 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: quite known. It's not an easy thing to do, as 166 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: again a young conservative on campus, but I did it. 167 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: How did your peers initially react, and maybe how did 168 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: your teammates react? Always with positivity? 169 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 2: You know, I never had any bad encounters or anything 170 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 2: like that. 171 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: You went on to intern for Trump during his first term. 172 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: How did you get the internship? 173 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 2: I literally applied on White House doc V and filled 174 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 2: out the application. It was very long and lengthy. I 175 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 2: frankly did not expect I would have been chosen. I 176 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:37,680 Speaker 2: was studying abroad in Rome, Italy when I received the 177 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 2: email from the White House saying I was accepted into 178 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 2: the program for that following summer. I'll never forget, you know, 179 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 2: receiving that email and what a surprise it was. And 180 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 2: of course I enthusiastically said yes and moved to Washington 181 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 2: several weeks later and took the internship, you know, with 182 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 2: my best foot forward and showed up early and stayed late. 183 00:08:57,080 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 2: And then it led to a full time job. So 184 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 2: I fished my senior year of school and then moved 185 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 2: back to Washington and was here as a full time employee. 186 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 1: It's amazing. Do you remember walking into the White House 187 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 1: on your first day of that internship? I do. 188 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 2: I do remember exactly where I was. I remember the 189 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 2: red blazer that I wore. I recently gave it up 190 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 2: because she was so old and tired. But I do 191 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 2: remember that first day and feeling like, Wow, this is 192 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 2: amazing that I'm working at the White House. 193 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:27,320 Speaker 1: What was it about President Trump that you were so 194 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: inspired by in those early years. Was there a message 195 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: of his that you really resonated with that you were like, 196 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 1: I want to work for him. 197 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, the America First Message, which continues to be his 198 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:40,439 Speaker 2: core principle to this very day, and that resonated with 199 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 2: me again growing up in a middle class family who 200 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,439 Speaker 2: worked very hard. There's a saying called the forgotten men 201 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 2: and women, which I think is very real in our country. 202 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 2: A lot of people feel left behind by the political establishment. 203 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:55,079 Speaker 2: And President Trump was the first politician in a very 204 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 2: long time to really speak to the heart of those 205 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 2: men and women, many of whom I grew up with. 206 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 2: And that was my worldview and perspective, and his message 207 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 2: really resonated with me from initially his twenty sixteen campaign, 208 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:08,839 Speaker 2: as you pointed out, from my OpEd at that time, 209 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 2: which led me to want to work here. 210 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 1: And you went from interning at the White House and then, 211 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: as you said, getting offered a full time job when 212 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: you were working under the former White House Press Secretary Kaylee. 213 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: Did you ever think to yourself, this is a job 214 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 1: I could see myself doing. Gosh, I'm sure I did. 215 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 2: I was just in the moment in that job, trying 216 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 2: to do my best and support her in the role. 217 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 2: And it was, you know, really imperative for me to 218 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 2: have that experience. Looking back now in hindsight, how critical 219 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,080 Speaker 2: it was to come in here in this term on 220 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 2: the first day being the press secretary, understanding how the 221 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:45,319 Speaker 2: office works and what the staff should look like. That 222 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 2: institutional knowledge that I came in with was so critical, 223 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 2: and I'm very grateful for that experience. 224 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: It is so important to have that foundational kind of background, 225 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:55,319 Speaker 1: and it's fun now knowing I'm sure with some of 226 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: the people that you work with, kind of looking at 227 00:10:57,160 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: them and being like this could be you one day, 228 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: so like, soak it all in right for sure? What 229 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:02,959 Speaker 1: do you think is one thing that you learned from 230 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 1: Kaylee's time and your time working with Kaylee? 231 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, preparation is key. She prepared a lot. 232 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 1: I know. 233 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 2: I've spoken to many of my predecessors in this role 234 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 2: who told me preparation is everything, and it absolutely is. 235 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 2: I mean on briefing days, every day, I'm here very early, 236 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 2: reading the news, absorbing it from every newspaper. Literally, I 237 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 2: read the physical newspaper, I read obviously whatever is popping online, 238 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 2: and then watching all of the cable networks to get 239 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 2: a full understanding of what the news cycle is for 240 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 2: the day. And then sometimes I feel like an internal 241 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:38,559 Speaker 2: investigative reporter. I go to all of the policy experts 242 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 2: in the building and the President himself to understand his 243 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 2: feeling on it, what the administration is saying, what are 244 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 2: we doing about the particular news of the day, and 245 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:49,439 Speaker 2: how I can put my best foot forward to message 246 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:50,680 Speaker 2: it on behalf of this building. 247 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:52,959 Speaker 1: Do you feel like as a press secretary, like most 248 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: of your day to day is spent learning and understanding 249 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 1: what's going on and figuring out the right ways to 250 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: word things when you're in the briefing room. 251 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:07,080 Speaker 2: Definitely, my day is being a sponge and absorbing as 252 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 2: much knowledge and information as I can. And the new 253 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 2: cycle changes not just every day, but every hour. There 254 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 2: are new stories popping and breaking, and we are the 255 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 2: White House. We have to respond to everything across the country, 256 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 2: and so it's a lot to absorb and it's a 257 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:25,560 Speaker 2: new challenge every day. You never know what the next 258 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 2: day will bring. 259 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 1: It's an exciting job in that way, and you're showing 260 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: that you can thrive in chaos. Absolutely right. It's like 261 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 1: there's always so much going on, new things happening every 262 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: single day. I agree. So I'm curious about this because 263 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 1: you went from working under Kayle to then running your 264 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,440 Speaker 1: congressional campaign, where you had to become your own voice. Right, 265 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: What was it like going from being on the communications 266 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:51,080 Speaker 1: team to then being your own voice? Like, was that 267 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 1: a pivot for you? Did you feel like it was 268 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 1: a big leap? 269 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:57,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, And in many ways it was almost more difficult 270 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 2: being my own voice, because when you are a candidate 271 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 2: yourself or your name is on the ballot, you have 272 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 2: to make decisions about what you want to say. What 273 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 2: do your stakeholders want you to say, What does your 274 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 2: family believe, what do your constituents want in need? 275 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:13,959 Speaker 1: What does the media expect that you're going to say? 276 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:16,680 Speaker 2: And so there's a lot of different perspectives you have 277 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 2: to take into account, then make a decision, and then 278 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 2: message it. Whereas now as the spokesperson for the president, 279 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:25,479 Speaker 2: he's the decision maker and I'm just here to effectuate 280 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 2: that message and to drive it home. And so in 281 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 2: many ways, it's actually easier to be a spokesperson for 282 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:34,560 Speaker 2: someone else than for yourself. And I've found that to 283 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 2: be a quite interesting trajectory, if you will, from going 284 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 2: from running for Congress myself to now working on behalf 285 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 2: of another individual. 286 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 1: But I do feel like doing both gives you confidence 287 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: in a way that somebody that hasn't had that experience 288 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: speaking for themselves, like, yeah, wouldn't have. 289 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 2: It was critical experience and I'm so glad I did it, 290 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 2: and I learned so much about myself and politics as well, 291 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:01,679 Speaker 2: and I don't regret the experience at all, And in 292 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 2: many ways, I'm grateful that I lost the election because 293 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,560 Speaker 2: it shut that door, but it opened this one. And 294 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 2: you know, I probably wouldn't be sitting here if not 295 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 2: for that election in the way it turned out. 296 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 1: Right, I mean, it is so true, like when one 297 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,760 Speaker 1: door closes in another door or bins during that time, 298 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 1: I'm sure it was your first time dealing with press, 299 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: right and people having positive and negative views on you, 300 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 1: So it's kind of an opportunity to thicken your skin 301 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: before you're on this now massive stage at the White House. 302 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 2: Yes, you gotta just learn how to block it out 303 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 2: and not care what people think or say about you. 304 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 2: You're always going to have someone who dislikes you no 305 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 2: matter what you do, so I think just staying authentic 306 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 2: to yourself and staying grounded is so important and I 307 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 2: definitely learned that firsthand on the campaign. 308 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:47,840 Speaker 1: Traill as a press secretary or even you know, when 309 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: you were in the running. How did your inner circle change? 310 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 1: How do you decide who is kind of a safe 311 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: space for you? Does it become much smaller? 312 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 2: In many ways, I've always had a smaller cli circle, 313 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 2: if you will. My best friends are still my best 314 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 2: friends from high school. I have very close friends and 315 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 2: confiance here at the White House, my colleagues, and we're 316 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 2: very blessed to have an amazing team. Many of us 317 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 2: worked on the president's campaign together, so when he won, 318 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 2: we all came in and so we have close relationships 319 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 2: and bonds, which is very important and also quite rare 320 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 2: in this city to have colleagues who you truly like 321 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 2: and want to be with every day. And I'm very 322 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 2: grateful to have that here at the White House. But 323 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 2: of course, now my whole life has changed being a 324 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 2: wife and a mother, and so my family is my 325 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 2: rock and who I spend the most of my time 326 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 2: with as life progresses. That's the change of life. And 327 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 2: it's a beautiful season right now. 328 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 1: It is so nice having that family as your backbone, 329 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 1: right and you know, the thing that you get to 330 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: go home to, definitely grounding you throughout every everything thing. Yeah, Okay, 331 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: so you went from your congressional campaign trail to then 332 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 1: being the lead of Trump's communication team for his twenty 333 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: twenty four campaign. Did that feel like a natural progression 334 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 1: for you and how did you end up kind of 335 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 1: getting that role? 336 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 2: So I was the national Press secretary on the campaign, 337 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 2: and I was hired initially by actually who's now my 338 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 2: current boss, Taylor Buttowitch. He's our deputy chief of staff 339 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 2: here at the White House, and he's amazing and a 340 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 2: good friend, and he hired me to start helping the 341 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 2: president's campaign effort. And it was an incredible experience and 342 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 2: amazing traveling around the country, going to rallies and speaking 343 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 2: on behalf of the president through amazing times and also 344 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:33,720 Speaker 2: some very dark times. I was with him in a 345 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 2: courthouse when he was reeled against. I was with him 346 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 2: through some trials and tribulations and a lot of adversity, 347 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 2: but the President prevailed. And now here we are. 348 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 1: And you were doing it while pregnant, which is the 349 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 1: wildest thing to me. What was the most pivotal moment 350 00:16:58,120 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: for you where you felt like you really had to 351 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 1: step up into your role. 352 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 2: There were so many moments, but definitely after the first 353 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 2: assassination attempt on the president's life in Butler, Pennsylvania, which 354 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 2: was just a life changing moment, a historic moment. The 355 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 2: whole world watched the former president and at that time, 356 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 2: possibly the future president, almost lose his life by millimeter. 357 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 2: And I had just given birth to my child actually 358 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:28,400 Speaker 2: a few days prior when I watched it on television, 359 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:32,880 Speaker 2: and that was a moment where I realized, this is history. 360 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:37,640 Speaker 2: This is a crazy pivotal time in our nation's history. 361 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 2: And when you see something like that for someone you 362 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 2: work for, and it impacted my colleagues and the whole 363 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 2: campaign and the whole country of course, was shook by 364 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 2: that image of the president standing up, blood dripping down 365 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:53,920 Speaker 2: his face, saying fight, fight, fight. No matter how you 366 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:58,120 Speaker 2: feel about Donald Trump, that is an iconic, historic, solemn 367 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 2: moment in our nation's history. And that was very impactful, 368 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:04,199 Speaker 2: I think for all of us on the campaign, and 369 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:06,680 Speaker 2: it kind of made us all pull ourselves up from 370 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:09,640 Speaker 2: our bootstraps and want to work even harder and fight 371 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 2: even harder to win. And it really created a camaraderie 372 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:16,119 Speaker 2: amongst the campaign about what we were up against and 373 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 2: how critical it was to win the election. 374 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,880 Speaker 1: How soon after giving birth did you go back. 375 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:26,479 Speaker 2: To work several days, which I wasn't expecting, but in 376 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:29,119 Speaker 2: light of what had happened to the president, I almost 377 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:32,400 Speaker 2: felt a responsibility to go back to work and back 378 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 2: on television. So I had a studio set up in 379 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 2: my home so I was able to easily go downstairs 380 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 2: and do a quick TV hit and then of course 381 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 2: attend to my child, and then went back to the 382 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:45,159 Speaker 2: office as soon as I could, and brought my baby 383 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 2: to the office with me. He was always with me 384 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:52,840 Speaker 2: throughout the entire duration of the campaign and just made 385 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:53,320 Speaker 2: it work. 386 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: Talk about a moment in time for your son as well, right, 387 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 1: spending his first days on the campaign trail at the 388 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,120 Speaker 1: White House, I mean, and he has no idea what's 389 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 1: going on. 390 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:04,960 Speaker 2: He's just happy to be with his mom and dadd 391 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,399 Speaker 2: is right. Someday, I hope he'll look back at all 392 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:10,360 Speaker 2: of these photos of him and his mom and he'll 393 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 2: be very proud. 394 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:13,600 Speaker 1: What's so cool about you and about that story and 395 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 1: your July twenty twenty four is that you really are 396 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:20,119 Speaker 1: showing women that you can have a rigorous job and 397 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: you can also be a great mom. You know when 398 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: you can do both. And I think it's so important 399 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:26,760 Speaker 1: for people to be able to see for you during 400 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:30,199 Speaker 1: that time, like how did you manage? I know you're 401 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: bringing your baby to work, but that can be incredibly challenging, 402 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 1: right when sometimes the work almost has to take priority 403 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 1: in a way, especially when it's like you're doing a 404 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:40,879 Speaker 1: service for the United States. 405 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 2: It's an incredible challenge and it's something I still face 406 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:47,879 Speaker 2: to this very day, having to deal with that balance 407 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:50,439 Speaker 2: of wanting to be the best you can in your 408 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 2: job and being the best mother that you possibly can 409 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,639 Speaker 2: as well. And it takes a lot of sacrifice and 410 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:00,639 Speaker 2: a lot of prioritization of time and sometimes means saying 411 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 2: no to commitments because you have to be home for 412 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 2: bedtime and that's okay. And having a good support system 413 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 2: is so incredibly important. It's certainly a challenge, and again 414 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 2: I'm not perfect at it. It's something I'm dealing with 415 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 2: every day. 416 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 1: But you do make it look so easy. So I'm curious, Like, 417 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: I mean, your outfit, you always look great. The outfits 418 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 1: are incredible. Seriously, like you do, You'll hear making it 419 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:24,639 Speaker 1: look so effortless. I had one of my family friends 420 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:26,919 Speaker 1: was like, ask her how she never looks tired. And 421 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:28,400 Speaker 1: I was like, I don't know if I should ask 422 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,199 Speaker 1: her that because she's definitely tired, right, and she's gonna say, 423 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:33,800 Speaker 1: I'm very, very tired after work, Like what is what 424 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 1: does your day look like? Are you able to turn 425 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 1: off ever? Or I try to at night? 426 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 2: You know, I go home and immediately go into mom mode, 427 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 2: and we do bedtime as a family, eat dinner as 428 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 2: a family, bathtime, book reading, and you know, put the 429 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 2: baby down, and then I try to take time after 430 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 2: that for myself to, you know, do what I need 431 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 2: to do to get a good night's sleep. And I 432 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:01,920 Speaker 2: do try to prioritize sleep because it's critical to focus 433 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:05,440 Speaker 2: and getting up and ready and then wake up early 434 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:07,160 Speaker 2: and the next day begins right. 435 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 1: And also like be a mom, but also squeeze in 436 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:11,120 Speaker 1: time to be with your husband. I know, what does 437 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 1: date night look like as the Press Secretary of the 438 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:16,400 Speaker 1: United States? Yeah, they're few and far between. 439 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:18,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, we recently had one at the Kennedy Center and 440 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 2: we went to a show, we went to dinner after 441 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:24,440 Speaker 2: and it was amazing. But date nights often are including 442 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 2: our baby right now, we just love being together as 443 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:29,639 Speaker 2: a family, the three of us. It's our safe place, 444 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 2: our happy place, and so we spend a lot of 445 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:34,840 Speaker 2: time with the three of us at home or going 446 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 2: out for walks and going out to dinner as well. 447 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 1: That makes so much sense. I feel like those are 448 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 1: the moments you look forward to the most, especially as 449 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:44,360 Speaker 1: a new mom. Yes, and just savor every second. As 450 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 1: we've said multiple times during this interview, you are the 451 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 1: youngest press secretary in US history. It's so wild that 452 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: you are not only doing one of the hardest jobs, 453 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 1: but you are also making history while doing it. What 454 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:57,919 Speaker 1: does that mean to you? Like when people say that 455 00:21:58,000 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 1: to you, what feeling does it evoke? 456 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:03,200 Speaker 2: You know, when you're in the moment in something, it's 457 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:05,959 Speaker 2: I think it's a little bit hard to digest. 458 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 1: So I'm not so sure that I have to be honest. 459 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 2: I'm just trying to do my best every day, putting 460 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:15,439 Speaker 2: my best foot forward and executing on the job that 461 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:18,720 Speaker 2: I have. And it's a great responsibility. I'm certainly aware 462 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,360 Speaker 2: of that, and I take it very seriously, and so 463 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 2: we just keep working hard and keep chugging. 464 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:27,520 Speaker 1: Do you remember getting the call from the President to 465 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:28,959 Speaker 1: be his press secretary? 466 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:30,159 Speaker 2: Of course, where were you? 467 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:30,919 Speaker 1: What's the story? 468 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 2: I was in our home in New Hampshire and we 469 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:36,560 Speaker 2: had a phone conversation and you know, he had told 470 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 2: me in that conversation, you're going to be my you know, 471 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:42,680 Speaker 2: my White House spokesperson. I'm sure of it. Let's make 472 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:44,919 Speaker 2: it happen. This was about a week after the election, 473 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 2: and so I obviously said thank you and yes, called 474 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:50,720 Speaker 2: my family to let them know, and then a statement 475 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:53,879 Speaker 2: went out a few hours later, and in that moment, 476 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 2: it was definitely life changing. For sure. 477 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,439 Speaker 1: Everybody sees your podium moments, but what is something behind 478 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:02,360 Speaker 1: the scene that you wish you could show people. It's 479 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 1: a good question. 480 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 2: I think our incredibly cordial relationships with the media. It's 481 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:12,360 Speaker 2: hostile sometimes and we make it known when we disagree 482 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 2: with their reporting or when there are inaccuracies. And I 483 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 2: think we should hold the media accountable and make sure 484 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 2: that they're accurately representing the administration and pushing the truth 485 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:25,880 Speaker 2: out there. But we also have good working relationships with them. 486 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 2: We try to work with them in good faith and 487 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 2: we expect them to do the same. And so I think, 488 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 2: you know, people who see the briefings may not understand 489 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 2: that the media are like our colleagues we work with 490 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 2: them on a day to day basis to shape stories 491 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:39,360 Speaker 2: on behalf of the president. 492 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 1: When people are just viewing the briefings, they're like everybody's fighting, 493 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,199 Speaker 1: everybody's screaming. But at the same time, yet it's like 494 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,359 Speaker 1: you're just people. You're all here at the White House 495 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: in DC to do your job exactly. So I've interviewed 496 00:23:50,119 --> 00:23:52,399 Speaker 1: Dana Prino and one of the things that we were 497 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:57,440 Speaker 1: talking about was advice that she's gotten and received from 498 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:00,119 Speaker 1: past Press secretary. So I'm curious for you, like, what 499 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 1: is the best advice you received before stepping into the role. 500 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 2: Some of the best advice I received was from Dana, 501 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 2: who's one of my predecessors and has become a mentor 502 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 2: and she's just an amazing, lovely person. And she said, 503 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 2: there's no shortcut for preparation. And we talked a lot 504 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 2: about preparation before I stepped into the role and what 505 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 2: it looked like for her. And I've emulated some of 506 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 2: those strategies in terms of reading everything and having meetings 507 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:30,720 Speaker 2: with policy staff and having meetings with my team to 508 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 2: really get a full graphs on the news cycle before 509 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:34,480 Speaker 2: I take the podium. 510 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 1: Outside of preparation, for upcoming press secretaries or people that 511 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 1: you know will be in the role after you. What 512 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:43,200 Speaker 1: is something that you would say to them? 513 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:46,600 Speaker 2: Oh, gosh, ask me that question in four years. 514 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 1: I don't know yet. 515 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 2: I'm still in the thick of it, still learning and 516 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,119 Speaker 2: try to do my best. But I think again, the 517 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 2: best advice I can give is, you've got to be 518 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:55,960 Speaker 2: on top of the news cycle and have a close 519 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 2: relationship with the president or the principle that you're speaking 520 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 2: on behalf. You have to get inside their head and 521 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:04,680 Speaker 2: understand their thinking in order to most accurately articulate what 522 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:07,119 Speaker 2: they want you to say and what the administration in 523 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 2: the White House believe. Got to really know the person 524 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 2: you're speaking on behalf of. You have to really understand 525 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 2: how they think and feel. 526 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 1: What does your relationship with President Trump look like? 527 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 2: It's great. He's a great boss to work for. He's fun, 528 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 2: he's hilarious, one of the funniest people I've ever met. 529 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:26,359 Speaker 2: He's a great sense of humor, and he's incredibly kind, 530 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:30,200 Speaker 2: and he's a great listener, and I'm very honored to 531 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 2: work for him. 532 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:33,360 Speaker 1: I feel like one story that I heard that I 533 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 1: loved was after the first attempt assassination, didn't he call you? 534 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:40,440 Speaker 1: And instead of asking, instead of talking about what had 535 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:43,360 Speaker 1: just happened to you, he called you and was yes, yeah, 536 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:44,359 Speaker 1: how's your baby? 537 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah. Around that time, after the assassination attempt and 538 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,119 Speaker 2: r it was the mist of the Republican Convention, so 539 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:54,440 Speaker 2: he was incredibly busy. I had obviously just had my son, 540 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 2: and he and the first lady called to make sure 541 00:25:57,600 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 2: I was okay and to talk about the baby. And 542 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 2: he was incredibly kind and gracious and continues to be 543 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 2: to this day. And something most people may not realize 544 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 2: about the President, as he has not just hired me 545 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:10,600 Speaker 2: as a young working mom, but there are tons of 546 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 2: working moms and dads in the West Wing and at 547 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:17,240 Speaker 2: the White House, and he empowers us to do both. 548 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 2: And I think that's quite admirable for the President of 549 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 2: the United States to encourage working families so much. 550 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 1: Final question for you is knowing what you know now? 551 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:28,560 Speaker 1: What is something that you would tell your younger self, Oh. 552 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,600 Speaker 2: Boy, just keep going, just keep working. 553 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,119 Speaker 1: I love it. Well, thank you so much, Caroline, This 554 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:36,639 Speaker 1: was seriously amazing. Yes, thank you for having me