The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, offered a pointed response this week to Rep. Jasmine Crockett's (D-TX) assertion that supporters of former President Donald Trump are "mentally ill." During a press briefing on Thursday, Leavitt remarked, “She is a rising star … I hope that she continues to be, for the Republican Party at least.” Leavitt's comment was not just a rebuttal but also a strategic positioning of Crockett's remarks as potentially beneficial to the GOP.
Leavitt's criticism of Crockett's statement highlighted the insensitivity of using mental illness as an insult. “It’s incredibly derogatory to accuse nearly 80 million Americans of mental illness," Leavitt said. She then contrasted Crockett's political reach with Trump's, saying, “The last time I checked, Jasmine Crockett couldn’t DREAM of winning such a majority of the public as President Trump did.”
The controversy stemmed from Crockett's appearance on Katie Couric’s “Next Question” podcast on Wednesday, where she made broad statements about Trump's supporters. “We’ve got a mental health crisis in this country because everyone, no matter how you affiliate yourself, should be against Trump, period,” Crockett claimed. This comment, alongside others made by Crockett, has been met with criticism and has fueled debates about the divisive nature of political rhetoric.
In recent months, Crockett has become known for her confrontational style and incendiary comments, aligning her with the progressive "Squad." In the same podcast, she argued that Vice President Kamala Harris was "way more qualified" than Trump to lead, attributing Trump's success to being "an old white man" and expressing sympathy for military members who serve under him.
Crockett's remarks have not only been a talking point in progressive circles but have also prompted a backlash across conservative media. Her tendency to make personal attacks has previously drawn fire, such as referring to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as "Governor Hot Wheels" and suggesting "white supremacists" are behind a majority of serious crimes in the U.S. without data to back the claim.
Conservative voices, including commentator Mike Eagleman and podcaster Alec Lace, have been quick to counterattack. Eagleman quipped, “The real mental health crisis is Trump Derangement Syndrome, and poor Jasmine has stage 10 TDS.” Lace mocked the Democratic Party, saying, “Imagine the party that thinks men can give birth calling someone else mentally ill?”
Crockett's rising profile and media presence seem to be a double-edged sword, potentially galvanizing Republican voters as much as it does her base. As the GOP appears to let Crockett build her platform unhindered, they may be betting on her rhetoric to strengthen their own message leading up to future elections.
