The administration of President Donald Trump swiftly sought to downplay a Thursday incident in which Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was roughly pinned to the ground and briefly handcuffed during a press conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles.

Democrat Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine raged on Friday over Democrat California Sen. Alex Padilla getting thrown out of a press

During her remarks from the Senate floor this week, Senator Maria Cantwell unleashed on the Trump Administration over the abusive detainment of Senator Alex Padilla. Cantwell stated, "They are afraid of Alex Padilla.

Alex Padilla said he was "escorted" to Kristi Noem’s press conference by FBI agents, where he was manhandled by agents claiming they didn't know who he was. The post Sen. Alex Padilla Tells MSNBC FBI ‘Escorted’ Him To Trump DHS Presser They Claim He Crashed first appeared on Mediaite.

During his Friday appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy warned that America has reached "a point of no return," following California Senator Alex Padilla's forceful removal from a Thursday press conference with Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

The senator is known on Capitol Hill for being kind and nerdy. His forcible removal from a news conference resonated as a call to action among Democrats.

Hours after senior U.S. Senator Alex Padilla of California was forcibly removed from a press briefing with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, House Democrats roamed the Capitol seeking an audience with GOP leadership.

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., is pushed out of the room as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem holds a news conference regarding the recent protests in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (David Crane/The Orange County Register via AP) AP