White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is facing an unexpected wave of criticism, even among followers of the MAGA movement, after calling part of Generation Z “lazy” and “bad habits.” Although he later tried to clarify his statements, the attempt failed to stop the controversy.

The statements occurred during an interview on Fox News, where Leavitt attributed the difficulties many young people face to a supposed lack of effort and “liberal indoctrination.” His words generated a strong reaction on social networks and opened a new debate about the impact of the economy during the administration of President Donald Trump.

The New Republic documented the response of conservative supporters and the official's attempt to contain the controversy.

The statements that caused the controversy

During the interview with host Jesse Watters, Leavitt stated that his generation had grown up “with everything on a silver platter” and that many young people expected to obtain benefits without effort.

“My generation—and it pains me to say it, Generation Z and those younger than me—have grown up with everything on a silver platter, receiving everything effortlessly,” he declared.

Furthermore, he supported Watters' suggestion that young people who "behave badly" should join the Army and responded ironically: "Or send them to Cuba, send them to Iran!"

The statements coincided with a time when various surveys show a drop in young voters' support for Donald Trump, especially due to the increase in the cost of living and the difficulty of accessing housing.

Not even the clarification stopped the criticism

Faced with the reaction, Leavitt published a message on the social network X, where he assured that his words had been taken out of context by “malicious people.” However, he also reiterated that he considers laziness as one of the problems that affect part of American youth.

Far from diminishing the controversy, the message provoked new criticism, even among MAGA supporters, some of whom questioned that the official spoke of privileges when, according to her detractors, she has had personal and professional advantages.

The episode reflects the tensions that the Trump administration faces to regain the support of younger voters, a key sector in the face of the next elections. Analysts cited by The New Republic point out that concerns about inflation, housing prices and the cost of living continue to be some of the issues that weigh most among this group of voters.