A very public and bitter war of words has erupted between former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, centring on the recent fatal police shooting of a Black man in Minneapolis.
The political feud ignited after Gabbard, a former Hawaii congresswoman, launched a scathing critique of the Biden administration's response to the death of Winston Boogie Smith Jr., who was killed during a US Marshals task force operation.
The Spark That Lit the Fire
Gabbard took to social media to accuse the White House of "hypocrisy," pointing to what she characterised as a muted response compared to the administration's vocal reactions to other high-profile police shootings. She specifically challenged President Biden's commitment to police reform, suggesting his actions did not match his rhetoric.
"The silence from @POTUS and @WhiteHouse on the killing of Winston Boogie Smith is deafening," Gabbard stated, contrasting it with their swift comments on other cases.
Psaki's Forceful Rebuttal
Jen Psaki did not let the criticism go unanswered. During a press briefing, she delivered a sharp rebuke, asserting that the President had indeed been briefed on the Minneapolis incident. She defended the administration's record, highlighting executive orders signed by Biden aimed at improving policing standards.
Psaki firmly dismissed Gabbard's claims, stating the administration had been "clear and consistent" in its stance against excessive force and its push for greater police accountability across the United States.
A Deepening Political Rift
This exchange highlights the deepening ideological divides within American politics. Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party in 2022, frequently positions herself as a critic of the establishment from the outside. Psaki's defence represents the official stance of the Biden White House, which is navigating complex issues of law enforcement and racial justice.
The incident in Minneapolis, which has sparked local protests and is under investigation by Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, has now become a national flashpoint, fuelling debates on policing, political bias, and the language used by those in power.
