The thriller of the reporter who hit President Donald Trump within the face with a increase microphone on Friday deepened this week because the NPR reporter named by Laura Loomer because the one who bopped Trump within the face, Danielle Kurtzleben, deleted her X account “@titonka” days after setting it to private simply minutes after Loomer revealed her exposé on the incident on Sunday.
The ten-year NPR veteran Kurtzleben’s byline has not appeared at NPR to this point this week. Her last byline was Sunday.
Loomer’s preliminary publish on Sunday has garnered over 8 million views on X:
SCOOP
I’ve recognized the reporter who hit President @realDonaldTrump within the face with a increase mic this week whereas he was talking to the press on the tarmac.
Her identify is Danielle Kurtzleben @titonka. She is the newly appointed White Home reporter for @NPR and an enormous… pic.twitter.com/dgViKT8wdA
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) March 16, 2025
Trump had walked over to speak to pool reporters earlier than boarding Air Power One Friday night at Joint Base Andrews when the increase mic hit his nostril and mouth as he was being requested a query about Gaza by one other reporter. An irritated look flashed throughout Trump’s face, however he then wryly commented, “She simply made tv tonight. She simply grew to become a giant story tonight, proper? Did you see that?”
Pool video posted by Information Nation’s Kellie Meyer. A girl’s voice will be faintly heard saying, “I’m so sorry.”:
President Trump obtained hit within the face by a increase mic at Joint Base Andrews.
He gave a glance and joked “she simply grew to become a giant story tonight.” pic.twitter.com/5XnwKlkHqb
— Kellie Meyer (@KellieMeyerNews) March 14, 2025
NPR has not responded to a request for remark by TGP, nor has the information outlet made any public touch upon the incident by their reporter.
Curiously, the White Home Correspondents’ Affiliation has additionally been silent on the incident.
Likewise, the Secret Service has not commented on whether or not brokers detained Kurtzleben for questioning or examined the increase mic for poisonous substances.
No White Home reporters, together with so-called ‘new media’ reporters, have requested Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt at both Monday’s nor Wednesday’s briefings. Kurtzleben’s fellow reporters look like defending her–the alternative of what would have occurred if a Fox Information reporter hit Barack Obama or Joe Biden within the face with a increase mic.
The Daily Mail reported Monday that Kurtzleben is “in hiding”, after getting an “out workplace message” in response to queries to her and no response from NPR.
Kurtzleben’s Substack account remains to be open, together with her final touch upon March 8. Her bio reads, “Overlaying politics for NPR. Typically reviewing books. RTs sung to Camptown Girls. Need me to put in writing in your publication? I don’t blame you. Reply to one in every of my newsletters or touch upon a publish and we’ll get cracking.”
The outline for Kurtzleben’s Substack page, titled, “This F**king Job”, reads, “A e-newsletter by a smartass, middle-of-the-pack political reporter, about (1) how the information works and (2) gender politics (particularly mmmmmMASCULINITY). After which (3) sometimes I simply write one thing to amuse myself.”
A teaser from Kurtzleben’s subscription solely Substack article dated October 30, 2024, reads:
You will have heard that Donald Trump just lately talked about Arnold Palmer’s penis in a marketing campaign speech.
I definitely did. My model (which is kind of “penis politics”) is robust, and so as soon as the comment occurred, peo…
May clarify how that increase mic ended up in Trump’s face.
