White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday ripped MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace for “disgustingly” tying a 13-year-old cancer survivor who was honored by President Trump to the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot.
On Tuesday night, the president made Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel — who was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2018 — an honorary Secret Service agent during his speech before Congress; Daniel was cheered by Republicans and saluted by the president as his dad lifted him into the air.
On MSNBC following the speech, Wallace implied that she hoped Daniel did not kill himself like some officers who responded to the Capitol Riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
“I hope he has a long life as a law enforcement officer, but I hope he never has to defend the United States Capitol against Donald Trump’s supporters and if he does, I hope he isn’t one of the six who loses his life to suicide,” Wallace said.
Four police officers who responded to the riot killed themselves within the following year.
Wallace’s comment was criticized by many online soon after. Leavitt, during her Wednesday press briefing, joined in, saying Democratic politicians and mainstream media figures “allowed their Trump Derangement Syndrome to stop them from celebrating America.”
“The mainstream media still doesn’t get it. Last night, MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace disgustingly looped in a 13-year-old-boy with brain cancer into an attack on the president over January 6,” Leavitt said.
She then took a whack at CNN, noting the cable channel called the president’s speech “divisive” in a chyron.
“President Trump wasn’t divisive. The Democrats were — and CNN was proven wrong by their own viewers, 69% of whom, in a post-speech poll said they had a positive reaction to the President’s speech,” she said.
Moments later, Leavitt held up a printed copy of a CBS.YouGov poll that showed 76% of Americans “approved” of the speech; Leavitt said the president passed her the printed paper during her briefing.
Wallace was not the only MSNBC host to criticize the president’s speech. Rachel Maddow said it was “disgusting” that President Trump honored Daniel, and on Wednesday morning, “Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough said the speech was full of “so much nonsense.”
