White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt opened Wednesday’s press briefing with strong remarks on the sentencing of Bryan Kohberger, who had just received four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. Leavitt extended the administration’s condolences to the families of the four University of Idaho students murdered nearly three years ago, and denounced Kohberger as a “vicious and evil killer.”

“If it were up to the president, he would have forced this monster to publicly explain why he chose to steal these innocent souls,” she said. Leavitt’s comments reflected the gravity of a case that has gripped the nation since the brutal 2022 stabbings.

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