'You’re a left-wing activist’: Karoline Leavitt’s heated clash with reporter at White House goes viral
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'You’re a left-wing activist’: Karoline Leavitt’s heated clash with reporter at White House goes viral")
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 15, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
White House press briefing erupts as Karoline Leavitt angrily calls a reporter a “left-wing hack” over ICE shooting questions. Watch the viral video.
During a White House press briefing on January 15, 2026, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt got into a heated confrontation about the death of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. The reporter Niall Stanage, a columnist for The Hill, questioned the Trump administration’s defence of the ICE agent in the fatal shooting. Leavitt lashed out at the reporter and called him a “left-wing activist” and said that he did not deserve to be in the seat.
The reporter asked why they were defending ICE agents. “Secretary Noem spoke to the media and said that ICE is doing ‘everything correctly.’ 32 people died in ICE custody last year, 170 US citizens were detained by ICE, and Renee Good was shot in the head and killed by an ICE agent. How does that equate to them doing everything correctly?” He described the action of the ICE agent as reckless and unjustified. Leavitt lost her calm; she responded angrily, “You're not a real journalist.”
She also criticised what she called “crooked,” “biased” media and defended ICE, saying its agents are working to protect Americans.
"I bet you didn't even read up on those stories. I bet you never even read about Laken Riley or Jocelyn Nungaray or all of the innocent Americans who were killed at the hands of illegal aliens in this country!" said Leavitt."And the brave men and women of ICE are doing everything in their power to remove those heinous individuals and make our communities safer.”
Minneapolis is protesting against the ICE agents' conduct, following the death of Renee. US President Donald Trump has threatened to implement the Insurrection Act and deploy US Armed Forces and the National Guard on the streets of Minneapolis.
The exchange went viral. Leavitt avoided a credible and substantive answer and resorted to attacking the journalist. A section of the MAGA supporters voices support for the biased media framing. Separately, Leavitt also faced criticism for other communications incidents and remarks, including being called out for inconsistency over comments on protests and vulgar gestures after the Minneapolis shooting.
