Karoline Leavitt drew backlash after accusing members of Gen Z of being “raised with just silver spoons in their mouths” and joking that unhappy young Americans should be sent to “Cuba or Iran” during a Fox News appearance this week.
The White House press secretary, 28, had recently returned to work after maternity leave following the birth of her second child, Viviana, in May 2026. Her comments came as she resumed a busy public schedule that included television appearances and travel with President Donald Trump.
On Thursday, July 2, Leavitt appeared on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime, where the host argued that some younger Americans complain about the cost of living despite never having held “real jobs.”
Watters said: “Some of these kids have never had real jobs and are complaining things are expensive.
“Things are expensive when you don’t have a real job. Do you think that’s getting traction? Complaining?”
Leavitt agreed with the sentiment and replied: “Unfortunately I do because this generation, my generation, Gen Z and those younger than me, have been raised with just silver spoons in their mouths.
“Just getting everything handed to them, that’s not the values this country was built on.”
She went on to say: “It was built on meritocracy and hard work, pulling up your sleeves, and achieving the American dream. We need to protect it with all we got.”
Leavitt then blamed what she described as a poor work ethic on “laziness” and “liberal indoctrination,” before ending with a sharp jab.
“Send them to Cuba. Send them to Iran. They’ll want to come back real quick,” Leavitt concluded.
Her remarks quickly spread online, with critics accusing her of insulting an entire generation while defending a political message about hard work, patriotism and the American dream. Supporters, meanwhile, framed the exchange as a blunt takedown of entitlement culture among younger voters.
The appearance came one day after Leavitt posted photos aboard Trump’s new Air Force One, which made its first official flight on Wednesday, July 1, after being retrofitted from a Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar. Leavitt wrote: “What a privilege to be aboard the inaugural flight on the brand new Air Force One! A truly unforgettable day.”
Social media users, however, zeroed in on a detail visible in one of the photos: a bookshelf behind her that appeared to contain decorative books with generic labels such as “Library,” prompting jokes that the plane’s interior looked staged rather than lived in.