White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clashed with a reporter Thursday during a press gaggle outside the White House, as she defended President Donald Trump’s position on the government shutdown and criticized Democrats for attempting to restore healthcare benefits for illegal aliens.

Leavitt said the shutdown occurred because Democrats refused to support a continuing resolution (CR) that did not include the restoration of taxpayer-funded benefits to non-citizens.

She argued that Democrats had previously supported similar stopgap funding measures more than a dozen times.

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“Democrats have voted for the same CR Republicans introduced 13 times in the past… now all of a sudden they are shutting the government down and they are holding our country hostage over a partisan political matter [healthcare benefits to illegal aliens]… And we stopped it. The President [Donald Trump] stopped it with the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill,” Leavitt said.

“And now they want to undo the President’s very popular policy to ensure taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits only go to taxpaying, law-abiding American citizens.”

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The exchange escalated when a reporter challenged her statement, claiming Democrats could not provide Medicaid to what he referred to as “undocumented immigrants” because it was already prohibited under existing law.

Leavitt countered directly. “Let me ask you, do you think that illegal aliens should receive Medicaid benefits? Medicaid benefits that go to the most vulnerable people in our society.”

As the reporter attempted to redirect the discussion, Leavitt continued.

“Medicaid benefits that were designed to help low-income families and Americans in our country. So what the Biden’s administration did is they allowed tens of millions of illegal aliens from all over the world to come into our country.”

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She said the prior administration used parole programs to admit large numbers of migrants and then extended temporary protective status, which in turn allowed them to access government services.

“It was a complete abuse of our immigration system. They slapped a Band-Aid on these illegals. They called it temporary protective status. And then they allowed those illegals from all over the world to get free benefits,” Leavitt said.

She added that Americans struggling under inflation and long wait times in hospitals were being forced to compete with non-citizens for services.

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“You know who would like free benefits? Hard-working Americans who work their butts off every day, who are living paycheck to paycheck,” she said.

“Because of the Biden-induced inflation crisis. And there were higher wait times in hospitals under the Biden administration. We saw these illegals committing crimes all over our country. And they’re getting things for free. That is fundamentally unfair. And this administration is not going to do it.”

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Leavitt placed full responsibility for the shutdown on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), saying Democrats insisted on adding taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal aliens to the funding proposal.

“This White House is showing no weakness when it comes to their messaging on the shutdown, putting the blame squarely on the Democrats and Senator Chuck Schumer,” she said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) backed up the White House’s position, pointing to the Democrats’ legislative text.

“This isn’t a Republican talking point, or political spin… It’s what Democrats put IN WRITING: On page 57, section 2141, of their OWN bill, Democrats restore taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants,” Johnson wrote on X.

Johnson encouraged the public to review the bill for themselves, saying the evidence was clear.

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The exchange marked the latest development in the political standoff over government funding, as both chambers continue negotiations to end what Republicans have labeled the “Schumer Shutdown.”