Psaki defends criticism of ideas and prayers after college capturing

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Former White Home press secretary Jen Psaki responded Thursday to criticism of her latest "ideas and prayers" feedback following the Minnesota Catholic college capturing.

Throughout a section on her MSNBC present, the previous Biden official criticized those that pushed again on her skepticism concerning the effectiveness of prayer in coping with mass shootings.

"So the difficulty I raised yesterday and I'll increase once more in the present day and I cannot cease elevating, is that individuals in energy, like, say, individuals within the White Home, who're utilizing their platforms to do something aside from name for motion for smart gun security measures – they’re doing the rest, like attacking me, which is a waste of time, they’re doing something however saying what needs to be completed to assist forestall tragedies just like the capturing in Minneapolis," she mentioned.

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Throughout her present Thursday evening, MSNBC host Jen Psaki defended her feedback crucial of these providing "ideas and prayers" within the wake of the Minnesota Catholic college capturing. (NBC/Getty)

Psaki caught widespread backlash on Wednesday for her social media put up decrying politicians and different public figures providing their thoughts and prayers within the wake of the capturing which left two schoolchildren lifeless and greater than a dozen injured.

She wrote, "Prayer just isn't freaking sufficient. Prayers doesn't finish college shootings. prayers don't make dad and mom really feel protected sending their youngsters to high school. Prayer doesn't carry these youngsters again. Sufficient with the ideas and prayers."

In a separate put up, Psaki additionally used the tragedy to criticize the Trump administration’s crime crackdown in Washington, D.C.

"When youngsters are getting shot of their pews at a catholic college mass and your crime plan is to have nationwide guard put mulch down round DC possibly rethink your technique."

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<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/672/378/school-shooting-minneapolis-vigil-memorial-fox-news-007.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/1344/756/school-shooting-minneapolis-vigil-memorial-fox-news-007.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/931/523/school-shooting-minneapolis-vigil-memorial-fox-news-007.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/1862/1046/school-shooting-minneapolis-vigil-memorial-fox-news-007.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Individuals kneel by the Annunciation Catholic Church after Wednesday's college capturing, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, in Minneapolis. (Abbie Parr/AP Picture)

White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to her predecessor in Thursday’s White Home press briefing.

"It's totally disrespectful to deride the facility of prayer on this nation, and it's disrespectful to the tens of millions of People of religion. And I'd encourage Ms. Psaki to wish for these households themselves, who want it proper now greater than ever," she mentioned.

Throughout her present, Psaki replied to the identical questions that White Home correspondents requested Leavitt, together with the one about Democratic leaders and Psaki herself criticizing the outpouring of "ideas and prayers."

"However right here’s the factor, prayer is a strong supply of consolation for thus many individuals around the globe throughout tough occasions, together with me," she replied. "I utterly really feel that manner. And what I mentioned yesterday and can say once more now, although, is that prayer alone just isn't sufficient to stop and finish the disaster of gun violence in America. It’s not."

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<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/672/378/annunciation-catholic-school-minneapolis-shooting-001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/1344/756/annunciation-catholic-school-minneapolis-shooting-001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/931/523/annunciation-catholic-school-minneapolis-shooting-001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/1862/1046/annunciation-catholic-school-minneapolis-shooting-001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Neighborhood members embrace after a capturing on the Annunciation Catholic Faculty on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. (Alex Kormann/Star Tribune by way of AP)

The MSNBC host continued by speaking about gun violence within the nation.

"We reside in a rustic the place there are extra weapons than individuals. There have been 5 college shootings because the begin of the college 12 months on August 1, lower than a month in the past, and 57 college shootings since January. And the truth that dad and mom like me have to fret day-after-day about whether or not or not our children are protected in school is what we needs to be speaking about."

She questioned why the Trump administration hasn’t supported common background checks for gun gross sales, tighter restrictions on the mentally sick acquiring weapons, or a ban on assault weapons, noting that "nearly all of the nation" helps all three.

"Look, to unravel this lengthy epidemic of violence requires motion. And when youngsters in pews who're praying are shot – to cite the assertion from Sisters of Mercy on the Minnesota Catholic college capturing – our response can not be ideas and prayers alone," she added.