White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt recently took aim at Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, after the Democratic congresswoman criticized President Donald Trump’s supporters as being mentally ill. During a press briefing, Leavitt described the accusation as ‘derogatory’ and emphasized that it was ‘incredibly derogatory’ to claim that nearly 80 million Americans suffered from mental illness. She defended the ‘America First’ movement, which she said was composed of hardworking patriots such as business owners, law enforcement officers, nurses, teachers, and Middle America. Leavitt encouraged Crockett to visit a Trump rally to witness the strength and vitality of the movement firsthand.
During an interview on Katie Couric, Crockett explained that the re-election of Trump was a result of a national mental health crisis, stating that ‘everyone, no matter how you affiliate yourself, should be against Trump, period.’ She also claimed that former Vice President Kamala Harris was more qualified than Trump and criticized him as an ‘old white man.’ Additionally, she defended former President Joe Biden’s mental acuity, asserting that she ‘never saw anything’ from him that would have made her question his mental sharpness, and argued that Biden’s mental acuity was ‘supreme’ to that of Trump.
Crockett’s comments have drawn widespread condemnation for other remarks as well, including her recent criticism of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, whom she mocked as ‘governor hot wheels.’ Given Abbott is a paraplegic who uses a wheelchair, the remark has been widely criticized for being insensitive and disrespectful to a person with a disability. This incident has added to the ongoing debate over the nature of political discourse in the United States, highlighting the tensions between different political factions and the potential impact of such statements on public perception and discourse.