WASHINGTON January 15, 2026 – In a heated moment during Thursday’s White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sharply criticized a reporter, labeling him a “left-wing hack” after he questioned the conduct of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the recent fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good.
The confrontation unfolded when Niall Stanage, White House columnist for The Hill, pressed Leavitt on ICE’s operations. Stanage referenced statistics, noting that 32 people died in ICE custody last year and 170 U.S. citizens were detained. He specifically highlighted the January 7 incident in Minneapolis, where 37-year-old Good was shot in the head and killed by an ICE agent, asking how such events aligned with claims that ICE was “doing everything correctly.”
Leavitt countered by asking Stanage why he believed Good was “unfortunately and tragically killed.” When the reporter responded that an ICE agent had “acted recklessly and killed her unjustifiably,” Leavitt unleashed a barrage of accusations.
“Oh, okay. So you’re a biased reporter with a left-wing opinion,” Leavitt said. “You’re a left-wing hack. You’re not a reporter; you’re posing in this room as a journalist… It’s so clear by the premise of your question.”
She continued, asserting that Stanage and others in the media held “crooked” and “biased” views, pretending to be “real, honest journalists.” Leavitt urged him to focus on facts, including the number of American citizens killed by undocumented immigrants, citing cases like Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray. “I bet you don’t… I bet you never even read about Laken Riley, or Jocelyn Nungaray, or all of the innocent Americans who were killed at the hands of illegal aliens in this country,” she added.
The exchange comes amid escalating tensions over the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown, which has included deploying hundreds more ICE agents nationwide. The shooting of Good has sparked widespread protests, with Minneapolis leaders calling for calm following another ICE-related incident last night. President Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy U.S. troops if unrest continues, a move Leavitt described as a “tool at the president’s disposal” that sends a “loud and clear” message.
Good’s family, through attorneys known for representing George Floyd’s relatives, has expressed profound grief, stating, “We miss her more than words could express.” Critics, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, have demanded ICE’s removal from the city, while supporters of the administration praise Leavitt for defending law enforcement.
This briefing marks one of the more combative sessions since Leavitt assumed the role, reflecting broader divisions on immigration policy. The White House has not released an official transcript yet, but video footage from the event has circulated widely on social media.
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