White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday addressed questions about two unrelated topics at a daily briefing: the upcoming New York City mayoral race and new allegations against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
When asked whether President Biden plans to endorse any candidate in the mayoral election, Leavitt said the president had already been asked about it during a recent interview and did not give an endorsement.
“You won’t get one from me at this podium unless he wants me to do that,” Leavitt said, briefly brushing off the question before turning to another reporter.
The mayoral race in New York has drawn national attention, though Biden has so far remained neutral. No additional details were provided about any future plans to weigh in.
The press secretary was then asked about a report alleging that Powell may have misled Congress regarding details of a $2.5 billion Federal Reserve renovation project. The question referred to a report suggesting Powell gave inaccurate testimony about the project’s luxury features.
Following calls for an investigation from Senator Cynthia Lummis and others, the White House is playing it safe. Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt sidestepped the issue, claiming she needed to review the allegations before saying more, but promised to mention it to the president.
Officials refused to comment further on a possible investigation or any potential fallout. This lands the controversy squarely on Jerome Powell, who is already under intense fire for his interest rate policies. The critical question now is whether these new claims will trigger a formal review or simply fade away.
The exchange at Monday’s briefing highlights the White House’s current reluctance to engage publicly on issues involving both the central bank and local political races. No timeline was offered for when or if the president will address either matter directly.
