Overview
- S. V. Dáte asked who suggested Budapest for a planned Trump–Putin meeting, prompting Karoline Leavitt’s text reply, “Your mom did,” with Communications Director Steven Cheung echoing the taunt.
- After a New York Times profile ran, Dáte posted screenshots showing Cheung later calling him a “moron” and a “little f****** b****” while telling him to stop contacting a senior aide.
- Leavitt also texted Dáte that he was a “far left hack who nobody takes seriously,” according to messages shared publicly and cited in coverage.
- HuffPost turned the exchange into a marketing pitch that its spokesperson said lifted membership revenue by 66 percent for that day.
- Reporting notes the proposed Trump–Putin meeting in Budapest has since been shelved, which was the subject of Dáte’s initial inquiry.