Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot responded to criticism Thursday from White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany by labelling McEnany as a “Karen.”
During her daily press briefing, McEnany referred to Lightfoot as a “derelict mayor” who “should step up and ask for federal help because she is doing a very poor job at protecting her streets.”
After being notified of the remarks on Twitter, Lightfoot responded, “Hey, Karen. Watch your mouth.”
Hey, Karen. Watch your mouth. pic.twitter.com/zhjRyokKD5
— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) July 16, 2020
“Karen” is a term some use to criticize or mock people who are supposedly pushy and excessively paternalistic. In many cases, the term is used derogatorily to allege white women are privileged and potentially racist. (RELATED: Chicago Mayor Cites COVID-19 For City’s Escalating Murder Rate)
McEnany also cited Lightfoot in the press briefing when she was describing “other things” that President Donald Trump must focus on, “namely Democrat cities not controlling their streets, namely the major of Chicago — people dying on the streets of her city every weekend.”
She said that Trump had sent a letter to Lightfoot indicating that she “must secure” her city.
Eighteen people died in shootings over the last weekend in June in Chicago — including two children and a teenager. There were a similar amount of tragic crimes over the July 4 weekend.
Despite ordering people to stay at home during the coronavirus, gun violence increased.
Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot arrives at Wrigley Field on April 16, 2020 in Chicago Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Lightfoot has imposed some strict measures on the city throughout the coronavirus pandemic, with a lockdown that threatened to have people arrested for attending parties.
“Now I’ve directed Superintendent Brown to order all police districts to give special attention to these parties. And this is how it’s going to be,” Lightfoot said. (RELATED: Chicago Mayor Heard Calling Police Union Leader A ‘Clown’)
Although she insisted that Chicago residents maintain strict social distancing, Lightfoot quietly visited her hair stylist in April, an apparent contravention of her own lockdown orders. She justified the decision by stating, “I’m the public face of this city and you know, I’m a person who [takes] personal hygiene very seriously and I felt like I needed to have a haircut. So I got a haircut.”