White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called her own generation lazy on national television.
Then, when the internet exploded in outrage, she refused to back down.
Leavitt, at 28 a member of Gen Z herself, appeared on Jesse Watters Primetime on Fox News last week to discuss the socialist wave sweeping Democratic primaries. The conversation took a turn when Watters observed that young Democrats “in their twenties have never had real jobs and they’re complaining that things are expensive.”
Leavitt went further.
“Unfortunately, I do, because this generation, my generation, I hate to say it, Gen Z and those younger than me have been raised with just silver spoons in their mouths, just getting everything handed to them,” she said.
“That’s not the values this country was built on. It was built on meritocracy and hard work, pulling up your sleeves, pulling yourself up from your bootstraps, and achieving the American dream.”
Watters asked if the problem was laziness.
“A little bit,” Leavitt replied. “It’s laziness and it’s the liberal indoctrination … Send them to Cuba. Send them to Iran, and they’re gonna want to come back real quick.”
Internet leftist, and even the hosts of The View, exploded in anger and said Leavitt was out of touch.
She responded Sunday and doubled-down.
“I am seeing a lot of bad faith actors take my comments from this interview out of context,” Leavitt said. “This interview was about the rise of communism on the Left, and I was asked by Jesse Watters why so many young people are buying the false promise of ‘free stuff’ being sold by communist politicians.”
“The answer is a combination of laziness, yes, and the liberal indoctrination taking place in our education system, where far-left educators have convinced an entire generation that hard work and sacrifice won’t pay off.”
“I care enough about our country to tell uncomfortable truths,” she said. “And it’s an undeniable fact that a growing number of young people in our country are falling for the lies of socialism and communism, sold to them by anti-American politicians who’ve never built anything, offer no real solutions, and are intent on tearing down everything that makes this country great.”
She signed off with a powerful promise.
“I know the President will continue to pursue an economic and domestic agenda that expands and strengthens the American Dream for generations to come. I will continue to call out the radical Democrats, socialists, and communists who are lying to our youth.”