A former White House aide under President Donald Trump has expressed alarm over what she describes as a dangerous escalation in the president’s handling of protests.
Alyssa Farah Griffin, who served during Trump’s first term, appeared on CNN News Central Friday morning to discuss recent events, including the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles and the forceful removal of Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) during a press event with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
“Senator Padilla clearly identified himself, saying, ‘I am an American, a U.S. senator,’ yet security still used a concerning level of force,” Griffin said. “He represents nearly 40 million Californians — the very state where these immigration raids are taking place — and he has an oversight role over immigration and DHS. It’s a very chilling moment.”
Griffin also pointed out that some Republican lawmakers have voiced concerns about the incident.
She argued that Trump’s zero-tolerance stance toward protest could lead to unrest, particularly with a large military parade planned to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.
“Trump has made it clear he won’t tolerate any form of protest, and that’s raising real concerns,” she said. “If any demonstrations happen during the parade, there’s fear they could be met with aggressive force.”
Griffin warned that this approach could politically backfire.
“Donald Trump is misreading the American public,” she said. “People don’t want to see clashes between peaceful protesters and armed National Guard troops. There are ways to maintain order without using heavy-handed tactics on citizens exercising their First Amendment rights.”
“All eyes will be on tomorrow’s events,” Griffin added. “We can only hope they remain peaceful — but Trump’s message so far is that dissent won’t be tolerated.”
