Karoline Leavitt Gets Heated When Reporter Asks Why Trump Isn’t Pledging to Protect Peaceful Protesters
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was pressed on Wednesday on why President Donald Trump has emphasized actions that are and will be taken against violent protesters while not making clear that “all peaceful protesters will be protected.”
At a Wednesday press conference, Leavitt praised the president for taking action against protests breaking out in Los Angeles against current ICE raids. The president has deployed the National Guard to the area despite objections by local leaders like California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).
President Trump has also warned those planning to protest Saturday’s military parade celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Army — it will also be the president’s 79th birthday — that they will be met with “very big force.”
Leavitt was asked about Trump’s comments on protesters and why he has not emphasized that “all peaceful protesters will be protected.”
New York Times correspondent David Sanger asked:
You were just asked about the First Amendment rights issues. In the president’s comments yesterday though he just said protestors would be strongly dealt with. In your list before, you referred to insurrectionists, rioters, and protestors together. Obviously, they’re quite different from your earlier answer. I’m struck by the fact that the president has not, at any point, said the most important thing here is to protect the First Amendment rights of peaceful protestors. So I’m wondering, where in his hierarchy of interests does he place that? Is the First Amendment protection the most important? Is stopping violence most important? Why is he not out saying all peaceful protesters will be protected?
“I think two things can be important at the same time, and the president, as I just answered, supports the right of Americans to peacefully protest. He supports the First Amendment. But that is not the majority of the behavior that we have seen taking place in Los Angeles,” Leavitt said, going on to reference “violent rioters.”
The press secretary said hundreds of illegal migrants have been arrested, as well as protesters who have assaulted police officers. Sanger noted, however, that there are “thousands” of others who are demonstrating.
“But there are thousands of people on the streets,” he said.
“Yeah, and we’ve had hundreds of people who have assaulted law enforcement officers. Are you saying that that’s appropriate behavior?” Leavitt shot back.
“No, no, I’m not saying that at all. I’m just trying to figure out —” the reporter began before Leavitt laid into Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D).
“The majority of Californians do not want to see law enforcement officers being assaulted in the streets and thankfully the president took action and stepped in to protect our federal law enforcement agents, to protect federal buildings, to protect the federal mission of deporting illegal criminals off of our streets,” she said before ending the press conference.
Watch above via Fox News.
