CNN Anchor Claps Back At Trump Spox By Noting ‘Flipping the Bird’ Is Americans’ Right — ‘And Trump’s’

CNN anchor Brianna Keilar rebuked White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt for calling out protesters flipping the bird by noting the gesture is a protected right for Americans — including President Donald Trump.

Trump flipped off a heckler who called him a “pedophile protector” as the president toured a Ford plant before giving a speech to the Detroit Economic Club on Tuesday. The man, 40-year-old TJ Sabula, was suspended from his job following the incident.

But at Thursday’s White House press briefing, Leavitt railed against protesters who used the state bird of New Jersey against ICE agents.

On Thursday’s edition of CNN News Central, Keilar called Leavitt out for scolding the protesters but justifying Trump’s display:

BRIANNA KEILAR: She talked about, she was clearly reserving the president’s right to invoke the Insurrection Act, which she’s talked about doing in Minneapolis. She talks about professional agitators and she said that people are unlawfully obstructing legitimate law enforcement operations.

She was holding up photos of some of the scenes there in Minneapolis and in one she took issue with someone flipping their middle finger off, flipping off ICE agents.

Just to be clear, whatever you think of ICE, love them or hate them–. Some of the behavior that you’re seeing in Minneapolis by people who are opposed to their operation there–.

Some of it is lawful and some of is unlawful. And flipping them off, that is law full. Flipping the bird is your First Amendment right.

It’s also President Trump’s First Amendment, right?

He actually just flipped off someone at a Ford plant in Dearborn this week on a visit a worker there was yelling at him “pedophile protector.”.

Later saying it was because of the whole Epstein thing and the White House said that that was an appropriate response for him to flip the bird.

JIM SCIUTTO: And listen, the kind of language that you’ve heard from ICE agents as well, granted I get that they’re under pressure there.

But oftentimes in these interactions, not just with people they’re attempting to detain, but also with protesters. Laced with the F-bomb, I won’t repeat it. I mean, the degree of hostility is sharp.

BRIANNA KEILAR: It’s tough.

Watch above via CNN News Central.

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