Leavitt knocks reporter for asking a 'stupid question' about protests
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt knocked a reporter for asking a 'stupid question' when being queried Wednesday over potential protests at President Donald Trump's military parade on Saturday. NOTUS' Jasmine Wright called attention to the warning Trump gave Tuesday in the Oval Office as he heralded the upcoming parade, which is to mark the Army's 250th anniversary - and takes place on the president's 79th birthday. 'By the way, for those people who want to protest, they are going to be met with very big force,' Trump said. 'And I haven't even heard about a protest, but you know this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force.'
Wright asked Leavitt to 'clarify what kind of protest President Trump does support or find acceptable.' 'The president absolutely supports peaceful protests. He supports the First Amendment. He supports the right of Americans to make their voices heard,' the press secretary answered. 'He does not support violence of any kind, he does not support assaulting law enforcement officers who are simply trying to do their jobs.' 'It's very clear for the president what he supports and what he does not,' Leavitt continued.
'Unfortunately for Democrats that line has not been made clear, and they've allowed this unrest and violence to continue and the president has had to step in.' Wright then asked 'if there were peaceful protests on Saturday' would they be allowed to go forward. 'Of course the president supports peaceful protests. What a stupid question,' Leavitt snapped. She then moved on to the next reporter during a quick, 26-minute briefing.
Organizers with the 'No Kings' movement are planning demonstrations across the country to coincide with Saturday's military parade and concert, to take place alongside Constitution Avenue and then at the Ellipse. 'No Kings' planners have pushed potential demonstrators to not take to the streets in D.C. - where there is already a robust security response. The White House, Capitol and certain roadways have been outlined with fencing ahead of Saturday's events.
Instead 'No Kings' organizers have encouraged people to protest in Philadelphia or in suburban Maryland and Virginia, instead of D.C. proper. During Tuesday's briefing, Leavitt was also asked if the president sees himself as a 'king.' 'The president views himself as the president of the United States of America,' Leavitt said. 'This is a constitutional republic and we want to see all of our citizens be proud of the country in which they are given the privilege and the blessing to live.'
Tuesday's briefing was dominated by questions about ongoing protests in Los Angeles - with demonstrations also popping up in major cities including New York and Chicago - all over Trump's 'mass deportation' plan. Leavitt tried to justify Trump federalizing California's National Guard members and U.S. Marines to deal with the LA unrest by pointing to 'those images of foreign flags being waved by illegal criminals and by violent rioters in the face of cars blowing up and flames in the city.' She showed a number of photos of burning cars at the top of the briefing.
'President Trump saw these images and he said that is not going to be accepted or tolerated,' Leavitt said. 'And hence why he deployed the National Guard and United States Marines who have helped quell the violence.' California Gov. Gavin Newsom has sued over the National Guard use arguing that Trump lacked that authority to do so over the wishes of the governor. Leavitt was asked Tuesday whether other Democratic governors would be asked ahead of a similar National Guard deployment.
'Well, President Trump was in contact with Gov. Gavin Newsom despite some of the claims he's made in the last couple of days,' Leavitt said, noting that Trump called the California Democrat Friday evening. Leavitt said Trump gave Newsom 24 hours to 'get it together' before making the decision to federalize California's National Guard. She didn't commit to Trump getting Democratic governors' permission if a similar thing happened again.
Leavitt instead argued that law enforcement officers have been 'kneecapped by incompetent Democrat policies and Democrat politicians,' using incorrect grammar to disparage the rival party. She concluded the briefing after being asked why Trump hasn't made more clear his support for 'First Amendment protection.'
'Why is he not out saying all peaceful protesters will be protected?' asked David Sanger of The New York Times. Leavitt answered that '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,' she continued.
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