White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt put NBC’s Peter Alexander on the ropes after he attempted to downplay the Trump administration’s efforts to cut government waste, fraud, and abuse. In Friday’s exchange, Leavitt refused to let Alexander twist the facts and hit back with cold, hard numbers.

Alexander tried to frame budget cuts as “sloppy” and pointed to alleged complaints from constituents. But Leavitt wasn’t having it.

“I love how the media takes a few critics when the overwhelming response from the American people is support for what this administration is doing,” she fired back. “If you look at the public polling, 70% of Americans, according to CBS, believe that President Trump is delivering on the promises he made.”

Leavitt went on to remind Alexander that Trump campaigned on cutting waste and fraud—and that the American people overwhelmingly elected him to do exactly that.

Things heated up further when Alexander pressed on the issue of fraud, questioning whether the administration had turned over evidence to the Department of Justice. Leavitt wasted no time exposing the staggering scale of government mismanagement.

“In fact, according to an IG report from the Social Security Administration, there were seventy-one billion dollars worth of fraud in one single fiscal year that we know about,” she explained.

Alexander attempted to correct her, claiming that the $71 billion in fraud was accumulated over multiple years, from 2015 to 2022. Leavitt didn’t let him off the hook.

“So are you defending $71 billion in fraud, Peter?” she shot back. “That’s a lot of money, far too much. And that’s why this administration… Why is the media so against cutting waste, fraud, and abuse from the government? I don’t get it.”

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The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk under President Trump’s administration, has initiated significant reductions across various federal agencies to streamline government operations and reduce spending. These actions, often referred to as DOGE cuts, have led to widespread layoffs and budget reductions.

Leavitt went on to hammer home the point that American taxpayers—already struggling with high inflation—don’t want their hard-earned money funding radical DEI programs overseas or being lost in fraudulent Social Security payments.

Alexander tried to pivot in classic mainstream media fashion, but Leavitt had already made her case crystal clear.

According to the CBS News poll Leavitt referenced, President Trump is enjoying net positive approval ratings in the early weeks of his term. Described by many as “tough,” “energetic,” “focused,” and “effective,” he is widely recognized for fulfilling his campaign promises.

A notable number of Americans believe he is exceeding their expectations, and among those, the majority approve of his actions. Conversely, very few feel he is underperforming. Supporters and voters of President Trump are particularly appreciative of his dedication to key issues, including his efforts to end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and his focus on deporting those in the country illegally.

Financially, DOGE claims to have achieved $55 billion in government cuts to date. The DOGE initiative has also proposed the concept of a “DOGE Dividend,” aiming to distribute a portion of the savings directly to taxpayers.