In a dramatic turn of events, Karoline Leavitt, the White House Press Secretary and rising political star, has ignited a media firestorm with her passionate condemnation of veteran MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace.
The fiery exchange comes after Wallace made controversial remarks linking a teenage cancer survivor to the January 6th Capitol riot—comments that many, including Leavitt, have deemed deeply inappropriate and offensive.
The tension began after President Donald Trump made a heartfelt gesture during his speech before Congress, naming 13-year-old Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel, a brain cancer survivor diagnosed in 2018, as an honorary Secret Service agent.
This moment, intended to honor a brave young boy, was quickly overshadowed by Wallace’s remarks, which took the form of a highly politicized and personal attack. The controversial comments have sparked outrage, with Leavitt emerging as one of the strongest voices to condemn Wallace’s behavior.
The Moment That Sparked the Firestorm
During a segment on MSNBC, Wallace commented on Daniel’s recognition, starting with, “I hope he lives the life he wants to live and that he lives for another 95 years.” However, she quickly pivoted to criticize Trump’s actions, saying, “He wants to be a cop, he knows what he wants to do, and maybe when you have childhood cancer that crystallizes for you.”
Wallace’s comments took a sharp turn when she made a troubling link to the Capitol riot of January 6, 2021, stating, “I hope he lives a long life as a law enforcement officer, but I hope he never has to defend the U.S. Capitol against Donald Trump’s supporters, and if he does, I hope he isn’t one of the six who lose his life to suicide.”
Wallace’s words were immediately condemned by many, including Leavitt, who found her attempt to tie a young boy’s cancer diagnosis to the political violence of January 6th to be beyond the pale. Wallace also suggested that Daniel would eventually have to “testify against the people who carried out acts of seditious conspiracy” and criticized Trump’s actions once again.
Karoline Leavitt’s Explosive Response
The White House Press Secretary didn’t hold back in her response. During a briefing on Wednesday, Leavitt criticized Wallace’s comments as being part of a larger trend of “Trump Derangement Syndrome” in the media, where political biases prevent certain individuals from celebrating positive moments for America.
She said, “Nicolle Wallace of MSNBC disgustingly looped in a 13-year-old boy with brain cancer into an attack on the president over January 6 last night. This is a new low.” Leavitt’s impassioned statement resonated with her followers, especially those who feel that political commentary often crosses the line into outright hostility and disrespect.
Leavitt continued, blasting the mainstream media’s treatment of the president’s speech. She pointed out how CNN had referred to Trump’s speech as “divisive,” despite a post-speech poll showing that 69% of viewers had a positive reaction. Leavitt presented the data as evidence that the media’s portrayal of Trump’s speech didn’t match public opinion, with 76% of Americans approving of the address, according to a CBS News/YouGov poll.
