White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt recently had an exchange with reporter Niall Stanage during a press briefing, following his question about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions. Leavitt characterized Stanage as a "left-wing hack" and biased.
The Briefing Exchange
Niall Stanage, a columnist for The Hill, questioned Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's statement that ICE was "doing everything correctly." Stanage cited several incidents:
- 32 deaths occurred in ICE custody last year.
- 170 U.S. citizens were detained by ICE.
- Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
Stanage asked how these events aligned with the claim that ICE was operating correctly. In response, Leavitt asked Stanage for his opinion on why Renee Good was killed. Stanage replied that an ICE agent "acted recklessly and killed her unjustifiably." Leavitt then stated that Stanage was a "biased reporter with a left-wing opinion," adding, "you are a left-wing hack. You are not a reporter. You are posing in this room as a journalist."
Context on Media Relations
Reports from the briefing indicated an increased presence of right-wing outlets, which have posed less challenging questions to Leavitt. Some veterans of the White House press corps have expressed concern regarding the nature of certain questions directed at the President during pool availabilities and the general conduct observed during briefings. One incident included an individual shouting "Trump 2028" during a presidential appearance in the briefing room.
Secretary Leavitt's Responses
Leavitt also criticized public and media reactions to the Renee Good shooting. She addressed comparisons made by Democrats between ICE activity in Minnesota and the Gestapo. Leavitt further disputed a CNN chyron that read, "Protests erupt after federal agent shoots man in Minneapolis," stating it was "not the truth." She asserted that in the incident described, an agent acted in self-defense while attempting to detain an individual from Venezuela.