White House Clarifies Stance on Labeling Protester as 'Domestic Terrorist'
The White House has distanced itself from accusations that Alex Pretti was labeled a "domestic terrorist" by administration officials. In response to a question from ABC News' Mary Bruce, press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified the administration's stance on the matter.
When asked whether President Donald Trump agrees with his officials who have referred to Pretti as a domestic terrorist, Leavitt stated that she was not aware of any such statement being made by the President. The White House has since sought to clarify its own position on the label, emphasizing that it does not condone or support the use of derogatory terms to describe individuals involved in peaceful protests.
The clarification comes as Pretti, a 19-year-old protester who was arrested at a rally in Minneapolis, has been accused by some of being a domestic terrorist due to her involvement with far-left groups. However, many of her supporters argue that she is simply exercising her right to free speech and assembly under the First Amendment.
The White House's response has been seen as an effort to distance itself from the backlash against Pretti and other protesters who have been labeled as "domestic terrorists" by some in the administration. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the government and those involved in anti-establishment protests, with many calling for greater protections for free speech and assembly rights.
The White House has distanced itself from accusations that Alex Pretti was labeled a "domestic terrorist" by administration officials. In response to a question from ABC News' Mary Bruce, press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified the administration's stance on the matter.
When asked whether President Donald Trump agrees with his officials who have referred to Pretti as a domestic terrorist, Leavitt stated that she was not aware of any such statement being made by the President. The White House has since sought to clarify its own position on the label, emphasizing that it does not condone or support the use of derogatory terms to describe individuals involved in peaceful protests.
The clarification comes as Pretti, a 19-year-old protester who was arrested at a rally in Minneapolis, has been accused by some of being a domestic terrorist due to her involvement with far-left groups. However, many of her supporters argue that she is simply exercising her right to free speech and assembly under the First Amendment.
The White House's response has been seen as an effort to distance itself from the backlash against Pretti and other protesters who have been labeled as "domestic terrorists" by some in the administration. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the government and those involved in anti-establishment protests, with many calling for greater protections for free speech and assembly rights.
. This whole label thing is just wrong, and it's scaring a lot of young people into thinking they're not safe to speak out. As a parent, it breaks my heart to see my child being misunderstood like this... I just want them to feel comfortable expressing themselves without fear of persecution. We need to make sure our kids know that their right to free speech is protected, no matter what they believe in! 
Guess they realized labeling someone a "terrorist" isn't exactly the most effective way to build trust with protesters... yet. The whole thing just feels like a big PR mess, if you ask me. I mean, who gets labeled as a domestic terrorist for holding a peaceful protest? It's not like Alex Pretti was, like, actively planning an armed insurrection or anything... 
, labeling someone a domestic terrorist because they're exercising their 1st amendment rights is just plain ridiculous... like, what's next? 
, are we gonna start calling our own citizens "enemies of the state" because they don't agree with us on something? 
, and honestly, it feels like we're watching a real-life episode of "1984" where the gov't is just trying to silence dissent... but at what cost? 
, free speech vs. national security is such a slippery slope 
, gotta keep pushing for accountability & transparency 
...
someone gets called a domestic terrorist for showin' up to a protest 
and it's like whaaat? 
and respect some free speech? 
We need better than this from our leaders. 
I think it's wild that they're trying to distance themselves from this whole thing now. Like, if you're gonna label someone a domestic terrorist just 'cause they're protesting stuff, then own it, right? 
. But let's not forget, she's just another human being doing their thing... 
We need to protect our rights to free speech and assembly, even if we don't agree with others. It's all about living in a democracy, you know? 
...
& it's not cool that the administration would use such language 
, but we need more than just words - we need action 
I mean, isn't he all done with being President or something? And what's up with these labels people are slapping on protesters? It just seems so... divisive. I'm all for free speech and assembly, don't get me wrong, but shouldn't we be trying to understand where people are coming from instead of just calling them terrorists? 