Karoline Leavitt responds to backlash over claims Gen Z is becoming more left-wing due to ‘laziness’

Karoline Leavitt has issued an update after a backlash to her accusing Gen Z of 'laziness'.

In an interview, Leavitt claimed that Gen Z have had 'everything handed to them', and even suggested they be sent to 'Cuba or Iran'.

"My generation, Gen Z and those younger than me, have been raised with just silver spoons in their mouths," she said.

"Just getting everything handed to them, that's not the values this country was built on."

Leavitt also claimed that younger people were being subjected to a 'liberal indoctrination'.

The controversial comments saw Leavitt heavily criticized online, and the White House Press Secretary has now responded.

Leavitt stood by her remarks (Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)

In her social media post, she accused 'bad faith actors' of taking her interview with Fox News 'out of context', and explained that she was asked about 'why so many young people are buying the false promise of 'free stuff' being sold by communist politicians.'

Appearing to double down on her remarks, she wrote: "My answer: a combination of laziness, yes, and the liberal indoctrination that has been taking place in our education system for far too long.

"There are far-left educators pumping students’ heads with garbage, convincing them that hard work and sacrifice won’t pay off down the road because they want them totally reliant on the government instead."

Nonetheless, Leavitt did say that 'many Gen Z Americans are hardworking, entrepreneurial, and deeply patriotic', adding that it's 'vital we protect the American Dream for them'.

Leavitt shared an update on the remarks on social media (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Leavitt also took the opportunity to attack political opponents, saying: "It’s an undeniable fact that a growing number of young people in our country are falling for the lies of socialism and communism, sold to them by anti-American politicians who’ve never built anything, offer no real solutions, and are intent on tearing down everything that makes this country great."

The Press Secretary said that she would 'continue to call out the radical Democrats, socialists, and communists who are lying to our youth'.

Figures shared by non-partisan think tank the Pew Research Center show a pronounced difference in the views of older and younger voters in the US.

This showed that the Democrats are in the lead for the age groups ranging from 18-24 up to 40-49, with voters over 50 favoring the Republican Party, meanwhile people under 40 favored the Democrats the most.

It comes as younger people in the US face mounting challenges including a rising cost of living and economic uncertainty.