Karoline Leavitt strongly condemned MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace over controversial comments that linked a teenage cancer survivor to the January 6 Capitol riot.
During his Tuesday night speech before Congress, Donald Trump honored 13-year-old Devarjaye ‘DJ’ Daniel—who has battled brain cancer since 2018—by appointing him as an honorary Secret Service agent. However, the gesture was swiftly criticized by Wallace, 53, who turned it into a political controversy with a series of divisive remarks.
“I hope he lives another 95 years and fulfills his dreams,” Wallace initially stated before shifting the discussion toward the Capitol riot. “I hope he has a long career as a law enforcement officer, but I also hope he never has to defend the Capitol against Trump supporters—and if he does, I hope he isn’t one of the six who takes his own life.”
Wallace further added that she hopes Daniel will never have to “testify against those who committed seditious conspiracy, only to watch Donald Trump later pardon them.”
Her remarks sparked immediate backlash online, with critics calling them inappropriate and offensive. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the controversy in her Wednesday press briefing, condemning Wallace’s words and accusing the mainstream media of allowing “Trump Derangement Syndrome” to overshadow a moment of national unity.
White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, 27, blasted MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace after the television host ‘disgustingly’ tied a cancer-riddled boy to the gruesome January 6 Capitol riot.
MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace (right), 53, managed to turn the President’s honorable gesture into a negative, introducing ‘suicide’ into the discussion about the terminally-ill teen (left)
‘The mainstream media still doesn’t get it. Last night, MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace disgustingly looped in a 13-year-old-boy with brain cancer into an attack on the president over January 6,’ Leavitt said.
The White House official then took aim at CNN, pointing out that the network labeled President Trump’s speech as “divisive” during its coverage.
“President Trump wasn’t divisive—the Democrats were,” Leavitt asserted, adding that CNN was proven wrong when 69% of viewers in a post-speech poll gave a positive reaction to the president’s address.
She then held up a printed copy of a CBS News/YouGov poll—which she claimed was handed to her by the president—showing that 76% of Americans “approved” of the speech.
Despite mounting criticism, Nicolle Wallace returned to the air on Wednesday without addressing growing calls for her dismissal. Instead, she continued her attacks on Trump, ignoring the backlash.
Wallace wasn’t the only MSNBC host to criticize the president. Rachel Maddow called Trump’s decision to honor Daniel “disgusting,” while “Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough dismissed the speech as “full of nonsense.”
Thirteen-year-old cancer survivor Devarjaye ‘DJ’ Daniel is lifted up by his father after President Donald Trump made him an honorary member of the US Secret Service on March 4
The disgraced host returned to the air on Wednesday and refused to address growing calls for her to be fired after she made the vile remarks about the teen suffering from brain cancer
During her segment, a remorseless Wallace continued bashing President Trump, while ignoring the harsh backlash she received. Pictured: Daniel hugs Secret Service Director Sean Curran
‘For the record and this is disgusting, the president made a spectacle out of praising a young man who thus far has survived pediatric cancer, as if the president had something to do with that,’ she said.
Yet, even as the network nor Wallace have made any kind of statement about her off-color remarks, viewers are out for blood.
‘@MSNBC fire Nicole Wallace!!!!,’ one user wrote, while another added: ‘Nicolle Wallace is one twisted and hateful demon. She should be booted off MSNBC.’
‘This chick on MSNBC (Nicolle Wallace) needs to be fired for saying she hopes a 13-year-old cancer patient doesn’t kill himself,’ added another. ‘Like WTF?’
‘I call on the firing of Nicolle Wallace,’ said someone else – sentiments shared by at least dozens, most of them right-leaning in their beliefs.
‘This is the most repulsive thing I’ve heard uttered from someone’s mouth,’ wrote one such user, who added: ‘Leave the kids alone!’
The 13-year-old underwent 13 surgeries by the time he was 12 as he battles a rare brain and spine cancer with no cure.
He is trying to get sworn in to as many law enforcement agencies as possible as he and his family try to raise awareness about his condition.
Held up by his father for the touching Tuesday night moment, the cancer-stricken teen received his badge from Director Sean Curran while Republicans in the House gallery chanted his nickname, ‘DJ.’
‘He has always dreamed of becoming a police officer,’ Trump said. ‘But in 2018, DJ was diagnosed with brain cancer.’
Trump makes boy battling brain cancer honorary Secret Service agent
‘The doctors gave him five months at most to live. That was more than six years ago. Since that time, DJ and his dad have been on a quest to make his dream come true.’
‘And tonight, DJ, we’re going to do you the biggest honor of them all.’
Childhood cancer remains rare in the US, with about 15,000 children diagnosed with the disease every year.
Cases of pediatric cancer have risen in recent years, but treatments have improved, leading to a decline in deaths from the disease.
‘Our goal is to get toxins out of our environment, poisons out of our food supply and keep our children healthy and strong,’ he said.
