- The Washington Times - Tuesday, December 10, 2024

The White House on Tuesday condemned the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson but declined to discuss whether or not the cost of healthcare in the U.S. has become a significant problem.

“Horrific violence to combat any sort of corporate greed is unacceptable, and so that is as far as I’m going,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters, adding that she wasn’t going to speak to “any manifestos or anything that’s coming out.” 

Luigi Mangione was arrested on Monday in connection with Thompson’s killing and charged with multiple counts in Pennsylvania and New York, including murder. He is being held in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested after being identified at a McDonald’s in Altoona. 

A blog post described as Mr. Mangione’s “manifesto,” which has not been directly linked to him, has created some attention. In the post on Substack, the author writes about their mother suffering from “severe neuropathy,” the cost of her treatment and the limits of UnitedHealthcare’s coverage. It also mentioned the author’s back pain, which Mr. Mangione also reportedly suffered.

When pressed about the White House’s criticism of health care costs in the U.S., Ms. Jean-Pierre demurred.

• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.

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