The White House press secretary was quizzed about Trump saying protests during Saturday’s military parade will be met with “very heavy force.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt verbally slapped down a reporter for asking whether President Donald Trump would allow peaceful protests during Saturday’s military parade.
On Tuesday, Trump ramped up his language about demonstrators, warning that anyone who protests at his long-awaited event marking the Army’s 250th birthday will be met with “very heavy force.”
So, it was perhaps to be expected that a correspondent would question Leavitt about the president’s remarks at Wednesday’s White House media briefing.
NOTUS White House correspondent Jasmine Wright asked for a clarification on “what kind of protest President Trump does support or find acceptable?”
Leavitt replied that the president “absolutely supports peaceful protests. He supports the First Amendment.”
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“He supports the right of Americans to make their voices heard,” she continued. “He does not support violence of any kind. He does not support assaulting law enforcement officers who are simply trying to do their job. It’s very clear for the president what he supports and what he does not.”
Wright again sought clarity, asking: “So if there were peaceful protests on Saturday for the military parade, President Trump would allow that?”
Leavitt then gave the reporter short shrift.
“Of course, the president supports peaceful protests,” Leavitt told Wright. “What a stupid question.”
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The $45 million parade in Washington, D.C. — which falls on the president’s birthday — is expected to feature a display of military hardware and thousands of soldiers.
Amid nationwide protests against immigration enforcement raids, Trump issued a warning from the Oval Office on Tuesday.
“If there’s any protest that wants to come out, they will be met with very big force, by the way. And for those people that want to protest, they’re gonna be met with very big force,” the president said.
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“And I haven’t even heard about a protest — but you know, this is people that hate our country,” he continued. “But they will be met with very heavy force.”
You can watch the White House exchange below.
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