White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt abruptly ended a news conference after facing tough questions over free speech.
“If there were peaceful protests on Saturday for the military parade, President Trump would allow that?” Wright asked.
“What a stupid question.” A few minutes later, the New York Times’ David Sanger returned to the issue of free speech, asking what type of protest Trump would support.
But the issue of the First Amendment is sensitive for the White House, given that Trump has long claimed to be a defender of free speech.
The First Amendment is meant to protect five fundamental freedoms: religion, speech, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government.
Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary for the White House, abruptly ended a news conference after being questioned about free speech.
Leavitt gave a briefing amid the ongoing tensions surrounding Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Los Angeles, accusing Democrats of being behind “left wing riots” and reiterating the president’s claim that many of the protesters were “paid insurrectionists.”. “”.
Trump had earlier threatened to use “heavy force” on protesters who rained on his parade, with hundreds of counter-rallying anticipated across the nation.
“Would President Trump permit nonviolent protests against the military parade on Saturday?” Wright questioned.
Leavitt responded, “Of course the president supports peaceful protests.”. What a foolish query. “”.
David Sanger of the New York Times raised the question of what kind of protest Trump would back a few minutes later, returning to the topic of free speech.
“Why is he not out saying all peaceful protesters will be protected? Is the First Amendment the most important? Is preventing violence the most important?” Sanger questioned.
“That is not the majority of the behavior that we have seen taking place in Los Angeles,” Leavitt responded, explaining that the president does support free speech and the right to protest. “”.
Sanger went on, “So you’re saying that most of these protests haven’t been peaceful?”.
In response, Sanger said there had been thousands of people on the streets, and a combative Leavitt then pointed out that nearly 400 illegal immigrants had been arrested.
Following a few more seconds of tussling, Leavitt declared that the president would not deviate from his goal of expelling illegal immigrants from the nation before leaving without answering any more questions.
As the Trump administration has already dispatched nearly 5,000 troops, including Marines and National Guard members, to Los Angeles, the 26-minute briefing comes amid claims of overreach.
But since Trump has long positioned himself as a champion of free speech, the First Amendment issue is delicate for the White House.
Five basic freedoms—religion, speech, the press, assembly, and the ability to petition the government—are intended to be safeguarded by the First Amendment.
Trump stated his commitment to the First Amendment and the right to “speak freely in the public square without government interference” in an executive order he signed just hours after taking the oath of office for a second term. “”.
His directive stated that “in a free society, government censorship of speech is unacceptable.”.
However, he has made several threats this week that he would crush anyone who opposed his lavish military parade or his immigration agenda.
“Any demonstrators who wish to come out will be met with very big force,” Trump declared on Tuesday. “You know, these people despise our nation, but they will be confronted with extreme force, even though I haven’t heard of a protest. “”.
