As Americans continue to struggle with the cost of housing, groceries, insurance and other essentials, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is drawing attention for her explanation of why some young people are frustrated with the economy.

“It’s Laziness and It’s the Liberal Indoctrination”

Leavitt argued that concerns about affordability are not solely driven by economic conditions during a recent Fox News interview.

White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt Blames "Laziness" for Americans’ Concerns About High Prices pic.twitter.com/UpJQP0zYNk

— Sigurdur Nordal (@essenviews) July 3, 2026

Don’t Miss:

• The AI Gold Rush Needs Picks And Shovels Too — This Company Is Building The Infrastructure Layer.
• 1.5M+ People Work in Headsets Every Week— Here’s the Company Behind It

When host Jesse Watters asked whether “laziness” was part of the problem, Leavitt did not hesitate.

“It’s laziness and it’s the liberal indoctrination,” she said.

When Watters said that “things are expensive when you don’t have a real job,” and asked whether complaining is getting traction, Leavitt responded, “Unfortunately, I do because this generation, my generation… have been raised with just silver spoons in their mouths, getting everything handed to them.”

According to Leavitt, the U.S. was built on different values.

“It was built on meritocracy and hard work,” she said. “Pulling yourself up from your bootstraps and achieving the American dream and we need to protect it with all we’ve got.”

Her comments come as affordability remains one of the biggest concerns for voters. While inflation has recently ticked up and many everyday expenses are still significantly higher than they were just a few years ago, continuing to strain family budgets across the country.

Trending: Most AI Robotics Companies Are Still Building. This One Is Already Working In Restaurants.

The issue has also created challenges for the Trump administration. President Donald Trump dismissed a bipartisan housing affordability bill, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, as “a big yawn.” The legislation includes measures aimed at expanding access to smaller mortgages, improving appraisal fairness and limiting large investors’ ability to purchase single-family homes.

Trump has until Friday to act on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. It becomes law if neither signs nor vetoes it and Congress remains in session.

Education, Politics And The American Dream

Following criticism of her remarks on Fox News, Leavitt on Sunday defended her comments in a July 5 post on X, saying many people had taken her words out of context.

“This interview was about the rise of communism on the Left, and I was asked by Jesse Watters why so many young people are buying the false promise of ‘free stuff’ being sold by communist politicians,” she wrote.

Leavitt said her answer was “a combination of laziness, yes, and the liberal indoctrination that has been taking place in our education system for far too long.”

She argued that some educators are convincing students that hard work and sacrifice do not pay off and said that is one reason the Trump administration supports school choice initiatives.

See Also: If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it?

At the same time, Leavitt emphasized that her criticism was not directed at all young Americans.

“It’s also true that many Gen Z Americans are hardworking, entrepreneurial, and deeply patriotic, and it’s vital we protect the American Dream for them,” she wrote.

Whether voters agree with Leavitt’s assessment or not, many Americans are actively looking for ways to offset higher living costs. Side hustles, freelance work and alternative income streams have become increasingly popular as households search for extra financial breathing room.

One company benefiting from that trend is Mode Mobile, creator of the EarnPhone. The company says users earn rewards through activities they already do on their smartphones, such as reading news, listening to music and playing games. Mode Mobile is currently offering pre-IPO shares for $0.52 for investors interested in the growing mobile rewards market.

Watters joked that if young people are misbehaving, they should be required to join the military to “shape them up.”

“Or send them to Cuba, send them to Iran,” Leavit interjected. “They’ll want to come back real quick.”

Read Next: Empower’s Retirement Fee Analyzer shows exactly how much you’re paying in fees across your 401(k), IRA, and other retirement accounts — and calculates how those fees compound against you over time. Most people are surprised by what they find.

Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market

Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

Arrived

Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

FarmTogether

Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.

Fundrise

Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.

Realberry

Institutional-quality real estate has traditionally been difficult for individual investors to access. Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company. With a portfolio spanning 13 million square feet across seven U.S. states, Realberry focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing real estate with an emphasis on long-term value creation while its principals often invest alongside clients to help align interests.

Immersed

Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing. Known for its AR/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing.

BluSky AI

The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence is creating significant demand for data centers, power, and compute infrastructure. BluSky AI is building modular AI data centers designed to support next-generation AI workloads while aiming to reduce deployment timelines compared to traditional facilities. For investors looking beyond AI software and applications, the company offers exposure to the infrastructure layer that makes artificial intelligence possible.

Miso Robotics

Robotics and automation are becoming increasingly important tools for businesses facing labor shortages and rising operating costs. Miso Robotics develops AI-powered kitchen technology that is already being deployed in restaurant environments, with products designed to help operators improve efficiency and streamline operations. As artificial intelligence expands beyond software and into real-world applications, the company is positioning itself at the intersection of robotics, automation and the future of food service.

Vinovest 

Fine wine and rare whiskey have historically moved independently of the stock market, making them a compelling alternative asset. Vinovest manages authenticated, insured portfolios of investment-grade wine and whiskey starting at $5,000 — sourcing, storage, and insurance all handled for you.

EquityMultiple 

For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000, with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process. 

Mode Mobile

Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream. 

Image: Shutterstock