White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt delivered a blistering exchange Thursday after a left-wing reporter accused an ICE agent of acting “recklessly” and “unjustifiably” in the fatal shooting of Renee Good, the Minneapolis woman who allegedly tried to run the officer over with her SUV.
The tense back-and-forth unfolded during the White House press briefing amid renewed protests and unrest following the January 7 incident.
Leavitt defended the ICE agent, Jonathan Ross, whose injuries — including internal bleeding to the torso — were confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security earlier this week.
“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 then fired back sharply. “Okay, so you’re a biased reporter with a left-wing opinion.”
When the reporter interjected — “What do you want me to do?” — Leavitt didn’t hold back.
“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.”
“You should be reporting on the facts. You should be reporting on the cases,” she 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, “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 came as President Donald Trump warned that he is prepared to invoke the Insurrection Act — a 19th-century law allowing active-duty military personnel to be deployed domestically — if Minnesota officials fail to quell riots and attacks against federal agents.
“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 renewed unrest followed a separate incident in which a federal immigration agent was attacked by three Venezuelan nationals armed with a shovel and broom handle in Minneapolis, according to DHS. The officer opened fire, striking one suspect in the leg.
Homeland Security officials said Agent Ross, who fatally shot Renee Good last week, was struck by her vehicle and sustained internal injuries. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed to Fox News that Ross suffered internal bleeding to his torso. He was treated and released the same day.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem previously said Ross “acted in self-defense” after being “rammed by a vehicle,” describing the shooting as a clear case of lawful use of force.
The White House’s message has been unequivocal: the administration stands behind federal agents under attack.
