Sarah Huckabee Sanders faced her toughest question of the day at the White House from the youngest journalist in the room: a 13-year-old reporter for TIME for Kids.
“One thing that affects my and other students’ mental health is the worry about the fact that we or our friends could get shot at school,” said Benje Choucroun, who was at the White House for a sports and fitness event later in the afternoon. “Specifically, can you tell me what the Administration has done and will do to prevent these senseless tragedies?”
Sanders became visibly emotional when she responded to the young questioner. “I think that as a kid and certainly as a parent there is nothing that could be more terrifying for a kid to go to school and not feel safe,” she said, apparently fighting back tears.
Watch the whole exchange above.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Your Vote Is Safe
- The Best Inventions of 2024
- How the Electoral College Actually Works
- Robert Zemeckis Just Wants to Move You
- Column: Fear and Hoping in Ohio
- How to Break 8 Toxic Communication Habits
- Why Vinegar Is So Good for You
- Meet TIME's Newest Class of Next Generation Leaders
Write to Tessa Berenson Rogers at tessa.Rogers@time.com