WATCH: Jen Psaki Gleefully Picks Apart Tom Cotton Proposal Targeting ‘Un-American’ Ideas Like Critical Race Theory and 1619 Project

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki reacted with obvious amusement to a question about Republican Senator Tom Cotton’s proposal to tax universities that promote what he calls “Un-American ideas.”

At Thursday’s daily briefing, Psaki was asked about Cotton’s so-called “Ivory Tower Tax Act,” which he claims would tax universities that are “indoctrinating our youth with un-American ideas.”

Psaki spent a few minutes interrogating the reporter about Cotton’s proposal with ostentatious relish, before expressing support for the ideas that Cotton opposes:

Q Yes. Senator Tom Cotton says the nation’s wealthiest colleges are indoctrinating young people with what he calls “un-American ideas.” He’s proposing a new tax targeting the largest private endowments. He says it would raise $2 million a year.

I wonder: Does the President believe that our largest — our wealthiest schools are indoctrinating our youth with un-American ideas? And would he support such a tax? Is it a good idea?

MS. PSAKI: Now you’ve intrigued me. What are the un-American ideas that are indoctrinating our youth?

Q The legislation doesn’t lay out the precise —

MS. PSAKI: Oh, he’s not specific about the indoctrination by leaders from universities?

Q Well, he’s been critical, for example, of the 1619 Project. He’s been critical and spoken about critical race theory. He’s — he’s claimed that there’s a liberal bias on campus that targets conservatives — I think would be a way to put it.

MS. PSAKI: What’s he going to do with the money?

Q He wants to use it for programs for — my mind — I’m having a hard time coming up with the word — when you have job training, those sorts of things.

MS. PSAKI: Well, without much detail of where he thinks our youth are being indoctrinated, it sounds very mysterious and dangerous, but — although I don’t think that — I don’t think we would think — we believe that educating the youth and next — the leaders of the — future leaders of the country on systemic racism is indoctrination. That’s actually responsible.

But, I would say, if he’s trying to raise money for something, then our view is there’s lots of ways to do that. We know that a number of corporations hugely benefited financially during the pandemic. They could pay more taxes. We think the highest 1 percent of Americans can pay more taxes. And if he wants to have a conversation about worker training, we’d love to have him over and have that conversation.

Cotton responded to the exchange on Twitter, writing “There’s nothing responsible or accurate about critical race theory, which teaches that people are defined by their race.”

He also posted a lengthy Twitter thread railing against Critical Race Theory in response to Psaki.

Watch above via The White House.