White House Press Secretary Says Administration Not Interested in Building Third Temple

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters on Oct. 23. Photo: dailyboulder.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a press conference held on Oct. 23, 2025, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to a question from a Hasidic journalist asking if the subject of rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem has come up at all with members of the Trump administration.

"Has to your knowledge the subject of rebuilding the Holy Temple in Jerusalem come up?" asked Jake Turx, who added that Donald Trump "is likely going to go down as the greatest builder of this era."

"No, it has not," Leavitt replied.

The Third Temple is a religious concept in Judaism that has to do with the restoration of the main sanctuary on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. Currently, Muslim shrines – the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock – are located on this site, making the topic extremely sensitive in the context of the Middle Eastern conflict.

Previously, UOJ reported that senior U.S. officials had sharply criticized Israel’s parliament after it gave preliminary approval to a bill that would extend Israeli law to the occupied West Bank.

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