White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller engaged in a heated exchange with CNN anchor Brianna Keilar on Tuesday, defending the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) recent federal job cuts. The interview, which aired on CNN, saw Miller laughing at Keilar's concerns and accusing the network of being out of touch with the American public.
Keilar pressed Miller on who was making decisions about terminations, citing the Department of Energy's initial firing of workers involved with the U.S. nuclear arsenal, later reversed after they were deemed irreplaceable. Miller responded that the cuts were directed by the Senate-confirmed energy secretary, dismissing the notion of a mistake as 'pretty standard' in government downsizing.
When Keilar argued the procedure was not standard, Miller laughed and said, 'I understand that even a temporary interruption in federal employment is a great crisis, a catastrophe for you and for CNN.' He added that the American people see a government delivering on accountability under President Trump.
Miller then turned the tables, asking Keilar about $22 billion provided to illegal aliens by the Department of Health and Human Services under Joe Biden. Keilar tried to redirect, but Miller continued to challenge her, asking why she was not celebrating the cuts if she agreed there was waste and abuse in government.
The exchange ended with Miller accusing Keilar and her colleagues of not caring about saving Americans billions of dollars, while asserting that his administration does.
