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President Donald Trump slammed anti-ICE protesters in Los Angeles, whom he described as “animals,” for carrying flags of other countries and burning the American flag amid their efforts to protest federal deportation actions.
Trump also floated the potential of imposing criminal penalties, specifically a one-year jail sentence, for burning the American flag, during comments at Fort Bragg Tuesday afternoon commemorating the United States Army’s 250th anniversary.
“These are animals, but they proudly carry the flags of other countries. They don’t carry the American flag. They only burn it. Did you see a lot of the flags being burned?” Trump asked the crowd of service members, veterans, and their families.
TRUMP SAYS ‘DISRESPECT’ TOWARD NATIONAL GUARD IN LA ‘WILL NOT BE TOLERATED’: ‘IF THEY SPIT, WE WILL HIT’
“They weren’t being burned by people from our country, or from people that love our country. People that burn the American flag should go to jail for one year,” Trump continued. “We’ll see if we can get that done. We’re going to try and get that done. We’re working with some of your senators.”
The president’s appearance at Fort Bragg comes amid controversy over his deployment of over 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles in response to violent immigration protests. Critics, including Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom, argue that the deployment is an overreach of federal authority.
Trump reiterated his stance about potential jail time for those who burn American flags during an interview on a new podcast hosted by New York Post columnist Miranda Devine that debuted Monday.
“I happen to think if you burn an American flag — because they were burning a lot of flags in Los Angeles — I think you go to jail for one year,” he said during his appearance on the new podcast. “Just automatic.”
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In addition to potential criminal penalties for rioters, Trump has suggested he may try to go after Gov. Newsom for interfering with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Los Angeles. Newsom filed a lawsuit Monday against the Trump administration, alleging the president violated California’s 10th Amendment rights by invoking a law that enabled federal control of the National Guard.
“Come after me. Arrest me,” Newsom said. “Let’s just get it over with, tough guy.”
During the president’s comments at Fort Bragg, Trump also noted that his administration is looking into who may be “financing” the protests, saying “we’re going to find out through Pam Bondi and Department of Justice who it is.”
U.S. Attorney General Bondi, in her first appearance since the riots broke out, indicated that the Justice Department has “nine open cases” connected to the ongoing protests, which critics have deemed amount to riots.
“As President Trump said: You spit we hit,” Bondi said. “Get ready.”
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