() California Sen. Alex Padilla was forcibly removed from a Department of Homeland Security press conference in Los Angeles.
Video shared of the incident shows Padilla being restrained by law enforcement and forced out of the room and him later being pushed to the ground and handcuffed. In the video, Padilla is seen interrupting the conference held by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, looking to ask her questions.
DHS accused Padilla of failing to identify himself and stated that he “lunged toward” Noem. In the video, Padilla identifies himself as he moves towards the front of the room.
“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 wrote on social platform X.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said the agents who removed Padilla acted “completely appropriately” in assisting Secret Service officials.
Noem later said in a post on X that she and Padilla met for 15 minutes after the conference and exchanged phone numbers to talk more later.
correspondent-at-large Geraldo Rivera said he believes Padilla’s removal was rough handling and was a “bad look” for the law enforcement officers who restrained him.
“The United States senator has a right, even if it’s a stunt, to get in front of a camera and have a dialogue with Kristi Noem,” Rivera said.
