White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday rebuked her predecessor, MSNBC host Jen Psaki, for deriding expressions of faith after the previous day’s deadly school shooting in Minneapolis. Leavitt told reporters that Psaki’s remarks were “incredibly insensitive and disrespectful to the tens of millions of Americans of faith who believe in the power of prayer,” and urged her to pray for the victims’ families. Psaki had written on social-media platform X that “Prayer is not freaking enough. … Enough with the thoughts and prayers,” arguing that such gestures do nothing to curb gun violence. She also criticized President Donald Trump’s crime strategy, saying officials should “rethink” their approach after the attack. The comments drew swift backlash from conservative figures and faith leaders, as well as from Leavitt during the televised briefing. The dispute stems from Wednesday’s attack at Annunciation Catholic School and Church in Minneapolis, where police say 23-year-old Robert “Robin” Westman opened fire through the building’s stained-glass windows during morning Mass. Two children, ages eight and ten, were killed and 17 others were wounded before Westman, armed with a legally purchased rifle, shotgun and pistol, took his own life at the scene. Psaki and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have renewed calls for tighter gun laws in the wake of the shooting, while the White House press secretary focused on offering comfort and prayers to grieving families. The exchange underscores the enduring divide over whether expressions of sympathy or legislative action should be the primary response to recurring incidents of gun violence.