White House press secretary channels Trump at first briefing

WASHINGTON, - White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt made her briefing debut on Tuesday, where she sparred with reporters over a federal freeze on grants and made clear that President Donald Trump himself will be the administration's main messenger.

"The president is the best spokesperson that this White House has, and I can assure you that you'll be hearing from both him and me as much as possible," Leavitt told a packed briefing room.

Trump and his team have shown an eagerness to swamp the news media with the Republican president's brash presence on a daily basis since he took office on Jan. 20. It is a stark contrast to his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, who often walked away from quizzing reporters and sometimes spoke so quietly that his words could not be discerned.