White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday flayed Democrats who have stalled funding the Department of Homeland Security, urging that after Saturday night’s attempted assassination, the time for partisan games is long past over.
On Saturday, shooter Cole Allen allegedly sought to kill President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents Association dinner. The incident capped a week in which Republicans have sought to pry loose full funding for the Department of Homeland Security, but Democratic lawmakers continue to hold the department’s budget hostage.
A visibly angry Leavitt said Monday that she and the American people are sick of political games that endanger lives.
“Saturday night served as yet another reminder of how important it is to fund the Department of Homeland Security,” Leavitt said.
“It is shameful that the United States Congress has kept this vital agency defunded for 73 days, the longest shutdown of a federal agency in U.S. history. The Secret Service is a vital component of DHS and it has been directly impacted by this reckless political gamesmanship,” she continued.
“Saturday night served as yet another reminder of how important it is to fund the Department of Homeland Security,” says @PressSec.
“This defunding of DHS should be a national scandal. If Republicans defunded DHS, and we saw another attempted assassination on a Democrat… pic.twitter.com/FZxiZtBSgJ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 27, 2026
“Everyone in this room who was there on Saturday night witnessed the heroes of Secret Service and federal law enforcement jump into action in the face of grave danger and uncertainty. Agents put their own lives in harm’s way to protect the president, the first lady, the vice president, and members of the Cabinet. One agent can be seen in video footage literally jumping onto the stage, not knowing where the attacker was or where the bullets were coming from at that point, to place his body in front of the President of the United States,” she continued.
“These men and women are heroes, they perform their duties daily, and they have children and families, too, and they do it despite the political turmoil surrounding their agency,” Leavitt said.
“Make no mistake, this defunding of DHS should be a national scandal. If Republicans defunded DHS, and we saw another attempted assassination on a Democrat president, I would hope that the media coverage would be relentless and unforgiving, and I hope that it continues to be now.”
HOLY CRAP! Karoline Leavitt is calling out Democrats BY NAME who SPARKED the rhetoric leading to Saturday’s attempt on President Trump’s life
🔵 “Rep Hakeem Jeffrey just THIS MONTH said, ‘we are in an era of maximum warfare everywhere all the time.’”
🔵 “Governor Josh Shapiro… pic.twitter.com/hy0vXB3t8K
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) April 27, 2026
Noting other major events coming in the next few years, Leavitt said Democrats are “placing an enormous and totally pointless burden on the Secret Service that can get more people killed.”
“Enough is enough. There should be no further debate about this. Democrats need to do what President Trump has been calling on them to do for 73 days in a row and fund the Department of Homeland Security. Period,” she said.
“This is a national emergency and every member of Congress needs to put their country over party and get the Department of Homeland Security funded.”
“The entire Democrat Party has made their pitch to voters across the country that Donald Trump poses an existential threat to democracy, that he is a fascist and that they compare him to Hitler,” Karoline Leavitt.
Dems have been doing this for a decade. pic.twitter.com/p6scx8A62m
— Libby Emmons (@libbyemmons) April 27, 2026
Leavitt said Democrats who demonize the president should consider their culpability in the third assassination attempt against Trump.
“President Trump is fearless because he loves this country, and he is willing to put his own life on the line to deliver on the promises that he made to the American public,” Leavitt said, noting that political “disagreements must remain peaceful,” according to KFOX-TV.
She attacked Democratic “demonization” of Trump, supported by the “left-wing cult of hatred” that includes the media.
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