By David Brody
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany has plenty of sweetness and smiles, but don’t be fooled – since stepping into this huge role in the spotlight, she is arming herself for battle, prepared to defend the president. Lately, the Commander-in-Chief is facing criticism for taking the controversial drug, Hydroxychloroquine in order to prevent COVID-19.
Watch McEnany’s words on the death of famed Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias:
“Yes, the doctor did prescribe it for him,” McEnany tells CBN News. “He took it after having several discussions with (White House Physician) Dr. Conley about its efficacy and Dr. Conley believed that the benefits outweigh the risks for the president.”
The criticism comes, in part, because the federal government’s Food and Drug Administration cautioned against using it and if so, only in a hospital setting. McEnany wanted to set the record straight. “I talked to (FDA Commissioner) Dr. Hahn about that,” she says. “First, this is a drug that has a long safety profile. It should always be prescribed from a doctor to a patient, but it has been shown to be safe. I explicitly asked him, ‘what about outside of hospitals?’ and he said, ‘yes, it’s okay if a doctor prescribes it to you in your ordinary point of care.’ That is an acceptable way to go about this.”
McEnany says the media is stoking fear without providing necessary details and specifics on this issue. She’d actually like to know why the media isn’t asking more questions about what President Trump likes to call, ‘Obamagate.’
“It is a criminal offense to leak the identity of an individual like Michael Flynn, a private citizen, to the press after being unmasked so we know that a crime is committed,” McEnany tells CBN News. “Who did it is the question.”
When asked to clarify if someone in the Obama Administration committed a crime, her response was firm. “Absolutely, but there are a number of other questions that need to be asked. There’s more questions than there are answers in this and the lack of journalistic curiosity is really something intriguing.”
So does she hold the media accountable for doing the bidding for the Obama Administration on this matter? “When they don’t ask the questions, absolutely. Yes.”
The media has already taken aim at McEnany, saying, in their view, she lies from the podium, despite her pledge not to. Her critics have called her a liar, racist and birther. “I know the person I am, and I know what I stand for and I stand as a Christian woman, someone who believes in equality, in truth, in loyalty and honesty,” McEnany tells CBN News. “It’s the values I’ve lived by my whole life. It’s the values I’ll continue to live by. People will malign you, it comes with the job, but I know who I’m ultimately working for and it’s the Big Guy upstairs.”
Speaking of ‘the Big Guy,’ McEnany sees God’s hand in the president’s election. When asked if God put Donald Trump into The White House for such a time as this, her answer is clear. “Yeah, I think prayer made a difference in the election,” she says. “Not to say that He puts a certain political party in a certain place at a time but I do believe certain people are meant to be in positions at a certain moment and I do believe that President Trump is the person meant for this moment. I think prayer made a lot of difference.”
McEnany sees the results. “This country needed someone to fight for life, to fight for religious liberty and I believe that President Trump was that person and he’s done that…there’s just so much that he’s done to fight for the Christian community so I certainly believe that he’s here at this moment for a time as we all are.”
This White House Press Secretary is surely not shy about her faith. During our interview at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, she became emotional when talking about the recent passing of famed Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias.
“It’s a huge loss,” she tells CBN News. “My dad said to me, that Billy Graham was the great evangelist and I think Ravi Zacharias is the great apologist.” As she continued, she paused, trying to collect herself. Her eyes filled up with tears, knowing the impact he made on the development of her Christian faith. “To have someone from an academic place, as an apologist, could equip you with those arguments where you didn’t have to check your brain at the door when you became a Christian, where there is intellectual foundation for everything we believe… but his life continues in the next life. He is someone I’ll meet in heaven and rest assured his legacy will always be here and he will continue to change lives.”
This press secretary is hoping to make a difference here on earth too.