White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had some strong words for her predecessor, Jen Psaki, after Psaki took to X to vent frustration over yet another tragic school shooting.
The back-and-forth started Wednesday after news broke of a deadly shooting that left children dead inside a church during the first week of school. Many politicians and community leaders offered prayers to the grieving families. Psaki, now an MSNBC host, wasn’t having it. She posted, “Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers does not end school shootings. Prayers do not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back. Enough with the thoughts and prayers.”
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That post set off a wave of reactions online, with some praising Psaki for cutting through political platitudes and others accusing her of disrespecting people of faith. By Thursday, Leavitt was asked about it during her daily press briefing, and she didn’t hold back.
“Yes, I saw the comments of my predecessor, Ms. Psaki, and frankly, I think they’re incredibly insensitive and disrespectful to the tens of millions of Americans of faith across this country who believe in the power of prayer, who believe that prayer works, and who believe that on a morning like this, when beautiful young children were killed while praying in a church, it’s utterly disrespectful to deride the power of prayer in this country,” Leavitt told reporters.
She added, “And it’s disrespectful to the millions of Americans of faith, and I would encourage Ms. Psaki to pray for these families themselves, who need it right now more than ever.”
The emotional exchange highlights a deep divide in how leaders and the public respond to repeated mass shootings. For some, prayer is a source of comfort and unity. For others, like Psaki, it represents inaction when stronger gun control measures are urgently needed.
Psaki wasn’t the only Democrat voicing that frustration. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey made a similar comment while speaking to reporters on Wednesday. “Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now, these kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school, they were in a church.”
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Frey emphasized that while prayer can help grieving communities, it cannot replace legislative solutions. His comments echoed growing calls across the country for lawmakers to take action on gun safety laws instead of offering condolences alone.
Leavitt, however, framed Psaki’s post as dismissive of Americans who lean on faith in times of tragedy. She suggested that people of faith felt attacked by the idea that prayer is meaningless. Supporters of Leavitt praised her measured but firm response, while Psaki’s allies argued she was simply speaking an uncomfortable truth.
The broader conversation comes as the nation once again struggles with grief, anger, and political polarization following a school shooting. While there’s little agreement on the right path forward, the emotional clash between two former White House press secretaries captured just how raw the debate has become.
For now, grieving families and communities are left to find solace in their own ways—whether through prayer, advocacy, or calls for change.