The White House knocked Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) for interrupting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference, saying that the Democratic senator wanted attention.
“Padilla stormed a press conference, without wearing his Senate pin or previously identifying himself to security, yelled, and lunged toward Secretary Noem. Padilla didn’t want answers; he wanted attention,” said Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson. “Padilla embarrassed himself and his constituents with this immature, theater-kid stunt — but it’s telling that Democrats are more riled up about Padilla than they are about the violent riots and assaults on law enforcement in LA.”
In the video, Padilla identifies himself: “I’m Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary.”
Padilla was forcibly removed, and the incident, caught on video by a Fox News reporter, involved multiple men restraining the senator and working to remove him from the room.
After the incident, the senator condemned the Trump administration for cracking down on his free speech rights and said he was handcuffed but not arrested or detained.
“At one point I had a question. And let me emphasize, just emphasize, the right for people to peacefully protest and to stand up for their First Amendment rights, for our fundamental rights. I was there peacefully. At one point I had a question, and so I began to ask a question,” he said at his own press conference.
“I was almost immediately forcibly removed from the room. I was forced to the ground and I was handcuffed.”
He also became emotional at a point during his remarks.
“I will say this: If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question, I can only imagine what they’re doing to farmworkers to cooks to day laborers out in the Los Angeles community and throughout California and throughout the country,” he said.
“We will hold this administration accountable.”
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson also said on X that Noem and Padilla met for 15 minutes and argued that the Secret Service “thought he was an attacker.”
“Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin posted on X. “Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands.”
While the administration defended the incident and blamed Padilla, other Democrats rushed to condemn the situation, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who said “Trump and his shock troops are out of control,” and former Vice President Harris, who called the incident a “shameful and stunning abuse of power.”