Leavitt Calls Reporter a 'Leftwing Activist' in Heated White House Exchange Over ICE Shooting

The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, accused a reporter of being a "leftwing activist" during a tense exchange on Thursday about the killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent. The confrontation highlighted deep divisions over immigration enforcement and the administration's defense of federal agents.

What Happened At The Briefing

At the start of a White House briefing, Niall Stanage, a White House columnist for The Hill, challenged the administration's robust defense of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and quoted homeland security secretary Kristi Noem's assertion that ICE personnel were "doing everything correctly." Stanage cited statistics—32 deaths in ICE custody last year and 170 U.S. citizens detained by ICE—to press his point, then noted that Renee Good "was shot in the head and killed by an ICE agent." He asked Leavitt, "How does that equate to them doing everything correctly?"

Leavitt responded by asking, "Why was Renee Good unfortunately and tragically killed?" When Stanage clarified whether she was soliciting his opinion, she said she was. Stanage replied:

"Because an ICE agent acted recklessly and killed her unjustifiably."

Leavitt then rebuked Stanage on-air, accusing him of bias and calling him "a leftwing hack" who was "pretending like you're a journalist." She urged reporters to focus on facts and individual cases, and she shifted attention to crimes she said were committed by noncitizens, citing victims such as Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray while praising ICE officers for their work removing "heinous individuals" from communities.

About Renee Good's Death

Renee Good, 37, a mother of three, was shot and killed by an ICE agent during a federal immigration enforcement raid in Minneapolis on 7 January. The agent has been identified as Jonathan Ross. Her death was captured on video and has sparked nationwide protests and intense political debate over the circumstances of the shooting.

Administration Response And Investigations

The Trump administration has strongly defended the agent, saying he fired in self-defense after Good allegedly tried to ram officers with her vehicle. President Trump told The New York Times that Good "ran him over," and Secretary Noem called the act "domestic terrorism." Some officials alleged the agent suffered internal bleeding after being struck. The FBI has opened an investigation into the incident.

However, a video reconstruction and analysis by The New York Times appears to show that the car did not strike the officer and that Good may have been attempting to flee rather than deliberately run over law enforcement. Those findings have intensified scrutiny and public debate as investigations continue.

Public Reaction

Thousands of federal immigration agents remained in Minneapolis after the shooting, and protests resumed following a separate enforcement operation in which a man was shot in the leg. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz urged President Trump to "turn the temperature down," called for an end to what he described as a "campaign of retribution," and encouraged demonstrators to "speak out loudly, urgently, but also peacefully."

The exchange between Leavitt and Stanage underscored the charged atmosphere surrounding immigration enforcement, media relations, and accountability for federal agents. The FBI investigation and public pressure mean the case will likely remain a focal point of national debate.