During a press conference on Wednesday, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt reacted negatively to a reporter’s inquiry about whether President Trump would endorse “peaceful” protests at the military parade in Washington, D.C.
Jasmine Wright from Notus posed the question about the president’s stance on allowing peaceful protests during the upcoming military event on Saturday.
“Of course the president supports peaceful protests. What a stupid question,” Leavitt responded sharply.
Wright referred to Trump’s prior warnings directed at potential demonstrators planning to attend the large military parade in the capital, noting that he had stated they would face “a huge force.”
“If protesters want to come out, they will meet with a very great force,” Trump had said on Tuesday. “And I have not even heard of the protest.”
Wright then asked Leavitt to clarify what types of protests Trump backs and what he deems acceptable.
“The president absolutely supports peaceful protests. He supports the First Amendment. He supports the right to hear from Americans,” the spokesperson said.
Leavitt emphasized, however, that Trump does not condone violence and opposes assaults on law enforcement simply acting in their official capacity, linking this to the ongoing protests in Los Angeles.
The demonstrations in Los Angeles erupted following immigration enforcement raids at local businesses and have since spread to federal buildings believed to be holding detained individuals.
In reaction to the unrest, Trump sent National Guard troops and Marines to quell the situation, a decision that faced opposition from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
“It’s very clear what the president supports and what he doesn’t,” Leavitt asserted. “Unfortunately, for Democrats, that line isn’t clear, which has allowed anxiety and violence to persist, necessitating the president’s intervention.”
