White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has been at the forefront of the administration's criticism of the "No Kings" movement, a wave of national demonstrations orchestrated by the 50501 Movement to protest what they call the authoritarian actions of the administration and the "militarization of the country's democracy."
Leavitt and other officials have utilized their platform to delegitimize the movement by repeatedly making claims that, according to critics and reports, mischaracterize the nature of the protests, inflate the level of violence, and demonize the participants. This type of rhetoric poses a danger to public discourse and civil rights.
The False Narrative: Demonizing the Movement
The danger in Leavitt's approach is the intentional effort to paint a broad political movement as a violent, extremist threat, which can be seen in her public statements:
Baseless Allegations of Extremist Ties: In a Fox News interview, Leavitt made a sweeping and unsubstantiated claim that the Democratic Party's "main constituency is made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals." While not specifically naming the "No Kings" movement, this statement was part of a broader Republican effort to brand anti-Trump protests as "un-American" and associate them with dangerous foreign and criminal elements. This fundamentally misrepresents the movement, which states its goal is to "stand for democracy" and reject authoritarianism.
Inflating Violence and Disrespecting Peaceful Protest: Leavitt has repeatedly slammed Democratic leaders and called the anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests—which often precede and overlap with the "No Kings" events—"shameful" and destructive. While isolated incidents of violence and property destruction have occurred in some cities, organizers of the nationwide "No Kings" demonstrations explicitly called for a "Day of Defiance" to reject authoritarianism and democracy. Media reports confirmed that the vast majority of demonstrators were peaceful, even while Governors mobilized the National Guard in anticipation of chaos. Leavitt's focus on disruption over the substance of the grievances frames peaceful dissent as "mob rule."
Weaponizing Fear for Political Gain: Leavitt’s rhetoric often utilizes emotionally charged language to cultivate a sense of "chaos" that the administration is supposedly stepping in to end. By conflating peaceful democratic protest with "violent criminals" and "Hamas terrorists," the administration uses a tactic of fear-mongering to justify aggressive enforcement actions, such as the federalization of the National Guard, and to silence political opposition.
The Dangerous Consequences of Mischaracterization
The White House Press Secretary's position holds immense power to shape public perception. Spreading demonstrably exaggerated or false narratives about democratic protests carries several dangers:
Erosion of the Right to Dissent: When the White House consistently labels political opposition as a criminal or terrorist threat, it discourages citizens from exercising their First Amendment rights to assemble and speak freely, creating a chilling effect on legitimate democratic dissent.
Justification for Excessive Force: By characterizing protesters as dangerous lawbreakers, the administration provides political cover and justification for law enforcement and military personnel (like the federalized National Guard) to use excessive force against crowds, regardless of their peaceful intent.
Division and Dehumanization: Leavitt's tendency to generalize protesters as political enemies made up of extremist elements dehumanizes citizens who hold opposing views. This strategy deepens political polarization and makes reasoned debate nearly impossible, contributing to a hostile and unstable civic environment.
The claims made about the "No Kings" movement by the White House Press Secretary are less a description of reality and more a political strategy designed to delegitimize opposition and consolidate executive power by framing criticism of the administration as an attack on the country itself.