Overview
- At Thursday’s briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned Minneapolis demonstrators as “left-wing agitators” and said obscene gestures toward cameras were encouraged by people in power.
- Leavitt pointed to images of a vehicle tagged “F ICE” and protesters giving the middle finger as evidence of hostility toward federal authorities.
- Her remarks drew swift pushback online, with users sharing photos of President Trump making the same gesture after the White House had downplayed that incident.
- Earlier the same day, Trump posted on Truth Social that he would invoke the Insurrection Act if Minnesota officials failed to stop what he called agitators attacking ICE personnel.
- The Insurrection Act allows domestic deployment of U.S. troops and was last used during George H. W. Bush’s presidency with support from local officials, according to reporting.