A White House press briefing descended into a heated confrontation on Thursday after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt launched a personal attack on a journalist who questioned the conduct of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
A Question on ICE Conduct Sparks Fury
The exchange began when Niall Stanage, a White House columnist for The Hill, referenced the administration's staunch defence of ICE. He noted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's assertion that ICE was "doing everything correctly". Stanage then presented statistics showing that 32 people died in ICE custody last year and 170 US citizens were detained by the agency.
He concluded by highlighting the case of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on 7 January. "How does that equate to them doing everything correctly?" Stanage asked.
'You're a Leftwing Hack'
Leavitt responded by asking the reporter why he thought Good was killed. When Stanage offered his opinion that an "ICE agent acted recklessly and killed her unjustifiably," Leavitt erupted.
"OK, so you're a biased reporter with a leftwing opinion … Because you're a leftwing hack. You're not a reporter, posing in this room as a journalist," Leavitt stated. She accused him and others in the media of having biases while "fake like you're a journalist."
She continued her tirade, telling Stanage he should focus more on American citizens killed by undocumented migrants, naming Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray. "Shame on people like you in the media who have a crooked view and have a biased view and pretend like you're a real, honest journalist," she concluded.
Contested Facts and Rising Tensions
The killing of Renee Good has sparked national protests and a fierce political debate over the incident's facts. The Trump administration has defended the agent, identified as Jonathan Ross, claiming he fired in self-defence as Good tried to ram officers with her car. Officials allege Ross suffered internal bleeding.
However, a New York Times video reconstruction suggests the car did not strike Ross and that Good was attempting to flee. Despite this, President Trump falsely claimed Good "ran him over," while Vice-President JD Vance called her a "deranged leftist."
With thousands of federal immigration agents remaining in Minneapolis, tensions flared again after a man was shot in the leg during another enforcement operation on Wednesday. This prompted Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to call on President Trump to "turn the temperature down" and stop a "campaign of retribution."
