Former CNN correspondent Jim Acosta sparked a firestorm when he joked on The Contrarian podcast that immigrants—referencing former first wife Ivana Trump—were “doing the jobs Americans don’t want to do.” He quipped about her burial site at Trump National Golf Club while questioning why Trump’s own properties hadn’t been subject to ICE enforcement.
The White House issued a swift and forceful rebuke, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt calling Acosta a “disgraceful human being.” The remarks come amid heightened tensions over national immigration policies and recent ICE actions in major U.S. cities.
Acosta, who departed CNN earlier this year and now produces content independently, maintains a critical stance toward Trump’s positions—especially on immigration. His off-the-cuff comments have reignited debates about the boundaries between personal expression, public discourse, and the role of media figures in political commentary.