The Leftist media is in trouble. They’re finally being held accountable.
And this White House official put an epic smackdown on these Leftist reporters that you have to see.
During Thursday’s White House press briefing, Stephen Miller delivered what he called a “civics lesson” on presidential authority, a moment that resonated strongly with conservatives. The deputy chief of staff for policy took the opportunity to respond to what he saw as a glaring contradiction in media narratives—concerns over Elon Musk’s influence as an “unelected bureaucrat” while seemingly ignoring former President Joe Biden’s cognitive state.
“You’re tempting me to say very harsh things about some of our media friends,” Miller quipped. “It is true that many of the people in this room for four years failed to cover the fact that Joe Biden was mentally incompetent and was not running the country.”
Miller then shifted focus to what he viewed as a fundamental misunderstanding of government structure. “It is also true that many people in this room who have used this talking point that Elon is not elected fail to understand how government works. So I’m glad for the opportunity for a brief civics lesson,” he said.
He went on to break down the structure of presidential authority, emphasizing the unique democratic mandate given to the president.
“A president is elected by the whole American people. He’s the only official in the entire government that is elected by the entire nation, right? Judges are appointed. Members of Congress are elected at the district or state level. The Constitution, Article II has a clause known as the Vesting Clause. And it says the executive power shall be vested in a president, singular. The whole will of democracy is imbued into the elected president. That president then appoints staff to then impose that democratic will onto the government,” Miller stated.
Miller continued by addressing what he believes to be a greater concern—the unchecked power of career bureaucrats. “The threat to democracy, indeed the existential threat to democracy, is the unelected bureaucracy of lifetime-tenured civil servants who believe they answer to no one, who believe they can do whatever they want without consequence, who believes [sic] they can set their own agenda no matter what Americans vote for.”
He specifically called out officials in the FBI, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Justice Department, asserting that they resist change despite voters electing leaders who push for reform.
“What President Trump is doing is he is removing federal bureaucrats who are defying democracy by failing to implement his lawful orders, which are the will of the whole American people,” Miller declared.
Miller’s remarks quickly gained traction online, drawing praise from conservatives who saw his response as a pointed rebuke of media bias.
Comedian Tim Young applauded the moment, writing, “Stephen Miller torches the media and calls them out on not knowing how the government works: ‘I’m glad for an opportunity for a brief civics lesson.’ I loved every second of this.”
Knox County Mayor Glen Jacobs compared the moment to a classic educational cartoon, exclaiming, “Stephen Miller goes straight Schoolhouse Rock!”
National Review senior writer Dan McLaughlin simply noted, “He’s right, you know.”
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley’s communications director, Abigail Jackson, echoed that sentiment, tweeting, “I love this clip of @StephenM calling the media out to their faces about their refusal to cover Biden’s mental incompetence. So good.”
Conservative journalist Ian Miles Cheong summed up Miller’s remarks as a much-needed reminder of the executive branch’s authority. “Stephen Miller explains in very clear and concise terms to the ignorant news media how Donald Trump was elected to represent the will of the American people, and that it isn’t the place of unelected career bureaucrats to run their own agendas.”
Miller’s exchange with the press served as yet another example of the ongoing clash between conservatives and the mainstream media.
You can watch his full comments below:
MUST WATCH: White House Deputy Chief of Staff @StephenM gives the Fake News a Civics lesson 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NOFHHw12rQ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 20, 2025
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
