White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is facing criticism after calling a Black reporter’s question about planned peaceful protests at President Donald Trump’s military parade Saturday “stupid.”
The testy exchange happened at the White House press briefing Wednesday, a day after Trump issued a warning about the planned protests in the capital Saturday.
“For those people that want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force,” Trump said. “And I haven’t even heard about a protest, but you know, this is [sic] people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force.”
Reporter Jasmine Wright with the nonprofit news outlet NOTUS, or News of the United States, asked Leavitt, “So if there were peaceful protests on Saturday for the military parade, President Trump would allow that?”
“Of course, the president supports peaceful protests. What a stupid question,” Leavitt scolded.
Trump ordered a military parade in Washington Saturday as part of events celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday. Although the parade is also scheduled on Trump’s birthday, critics have speculated it’s really a birthday event for him with a $45 million price tag.
Wright first had asked Leavitt if she could “clarify what kind of protest President Trump does support or find acceptable.”
Leavitt responded, “The President absolutely supports peaceful protests. He supports the First Amendment. He supports the right of Americans to make their voices heard.”
“He does not support violence of any kind. He does not support assaulting law enforcement officers who are simply trying to do their jobs,” Leavitt added. It was then that Wright asked the 27-year-old press secretary to clarify whether Trump would allow peaceful protests at his military parade this weekend.
When a white male reporter asked a tough follow-up question, though, Leavitt changed her tone and responded in a respectful manner.
“In the president’s comments yesterday, though, he just said protesters would be strongly dealt with. … Why is he not out saying all peaceful protesters will be protected?” David Sanger of The New York Times asked.
“I think two things can be important at the same time, and the President, as I just answered, supports the right of Americans to peaceably 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, referring to the protests in Los Angeles this week over raids by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement.
In a historic act, the president called up California’s National Guard and deployed the U.S. Marines to Los Angeles to help quell the demonstrations, bypassing state and local officials, something unprecedented in modern times.
Wright, a former CNN reporter, asked the question after a warning from Trump Tuesday that any protesters in the capital on Saturday would be met with “very big force,” according to reporting from The Hill.
Social media erupted after Leavitt’s comments slamming her for her rude remark.
“Not a stupid question when Trump and Leavitt purposely imply all protestors are criminals,” an X user posted.
Another X user noted the condescending nature of Leavitt’s response to Wright’s perfectly legitimate question.
“’…(Trump said Tuesday, ‘If there’s any protester that wants to come out, they will be met with very big force.’)’ So it wasn’t a stupid question at all, but the response was–a glorified intern in way over her head.”
Of course, there’s no surprise MAGA supporters weighed in with vitriol.
“Reporter Jasmine Wright tried to be a smart a-s. But Levi tt put her in her place. Good for her,” an X user commented.
And another X user wrote, “When NOTUS Jasmine Wright asked if peaceful protests on Saturday would be allowed to go forward, Leavitt rebuked her interrogator. ‘Of course, the president supports peaceful protests. What a stupid question,’ Karoline Leavitt snapped.”
