Leavitt Erupts After Reporter’s Question: ‘You’re a Left-Wing Hack’

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt forcefully shut down a hostile line of questioning Thursday after a left-wing reporter accused an ICE agent of acting “recklessly” and “unjustifiably” in the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a Minneapolis woman authorities say attempted to run the officer over with her SUV.

The heated exchange took place during the White House press briefing as protests and unrest flared following the January 7 incident.

Leavitt firmly defended ICE Agent Jonathan Ross, whose serious injuries—including internal bleeding—were confirmed this week by the Department of Homeland Security.

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

“Are you asking me my opinion?” the reporter replied. “Because an ICE agent acted recklessly and killed her unjustifiably.”

Leavitt immediately pushed back.

“Okay, so you’re a biased reporter with a left-wing opinion.”

When the reporter pressed further—“What do you want me to do?”—Leavitt escalated her response, calling out what she described as ideological activism masquerading as journalism.

“Yeah, because you’re a left-wing hack. You’re not a reporter. You’re posing in this room as a journalist, and it’s so clear by the premise of your question,” Leavitt said. “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. You’re pretending that you’re a journalist, but you’re a left-wing activist. And the question that you just raised and your answer proves your bias.”

She went on to criticize the media’s selective outrage and failure to cover crimes committed by illegal aliens.

“You should be reporting on the facts. You should be reporting on the cases,” Leavitt continued. “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? I bet you don’t. I bet you didn’t even read up on those stories. I bet you never even read about Laken Riley, or Jocelyn Nungary, or all of the innocent Americans who were killed at the hands of illegal aliens in this country.”

Leavitt concluded with a full-throated defense of federal law enforcement.

“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, have a biased view, and pretend like you’re a real, honest journalist.”

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The confrontation comes amid escalating unrest in Minnesota, where President Donald J. Trump has warned he is prepared to invoke the Insurrection Act—a long-standing federal statute allowing the deployment of active-duty military forces domestically—if state leaders fail to protect federal officers and restore order.

“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job,” Trump said Thursday, “I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State.”

The unrest follows a separate Minneapolis incident in which a federal immigration agent was allegedly attacked by three Venezuelan nationals armed with a shovel and a broom handle, according to DHS. The officer opened fire, striking one suspect in the leg.

DHS officials stated that Agent Ross—who fatally shot Good—was struck by her vehicle and suffered internal injuries. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed to Fox News that Ross sustained internal bleeding to his torso and was treated and released the same day.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has previously stated that Ross “acted in self-defense” after being “rammed by a vehicle,” describing the shooting as a lawful and justified use of force.

The message from the White House has been unmistakable: the Trump administration stands firmly behind federal agents enforcing the law while under attack.