Leavitt clashes with journalist over Renee Good, calls him ‘left-wing activist’ in tense WH briefing exchange

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had a fiery clash with a journalist during Thursday’s press briefing, labeling him a “left-wing activist” over an exchange the two of them had over Renee Good. 

Niall Stanage, The Hill’s White House columnist, began his question by pointing to the Trump administration’s staunch defense of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), citing stats showing “32 people died in ICE custody” and “170 U.S. citizens were detained by ICE.” He also noting last week’s killing of Good, who was shot in what agents said was self-defense because she was using her car as a weapon.

“How does that equate to them doing everything correctly?” Stanage asked, referring to comments made in defense of ICE by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. 

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The Hill columnist Niall Stanage pressed White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt about whether ICE has done everything “correctly” as DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has claimed. (Screenshot/C-SPAN)

“Why was Renee Good unfortunately and tragically killed?” Leavitt asked.

“Are you asking me my opinion?” Stanage replied, to which Leavitt said yes. He added, “Because an ICE agent acted recklessly and killed her unjustifiably.”

“OK, so you’re a biased reporter with a left-wing opinion,” Leavitt shot back. “Because you’re a left-wing hack. You’re not a reporter posing in this room as a journalist. And it’s so clear by the premise of your question.”

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called Niall Stanage a “left-wing activist” during a tense exchange. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“And you, and the people in the media, who have such biases but fake like you’re a journalist — you shouldn’t even be sitting in that seat,” Leavitt told Stanage. “But you’re pretending like you’re a journalist, but you’re a left-wing activist. And the question that you just raised and your answer proves you’re biased. You should be reporting on the facts. You should be reporting on the cases.”

“Do you have the numbers of how many American citizens were killed at the hands of illegal aliens who ICE is trying to remove from this country?” Leavitt asked. “I bet you don’t. I bet you didn’t even read up on those stories. I bet you never even write about Laken Riley, or Jocelyn Nungaray, or all of the innocent Americans who were killed at the hands of illegal aliens in this country. And the brave men and women of ICE are doing everything in their power to remove those heinous individuals and make our communities safer.”

“And 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 added before moving on to another reporter.

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Renee Nicole Good shortly before she was killed. (Obtained by Fox News)

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