Senator California Alex Padilla continued to defend himself and denied the claim by Trump’s government that he crashed into the press conference of Secretary Kristi Noem Kristi Noem before the federal officer pushed him outdoors, pushing him to the floor and handcuffed him.
Padilla, a member of the Senate Judicial Committee Subcommittee on immigration, citizenship, and border safety, provides further details about the incident on Thursday night during a interview At MSNBC – where he said he was not a threat and only raised his voice to ask questions.
Senator claimed he did not go to a press conference, as alleged by Noem, but he was in the federal building for scheduled direction approved by representatives from the North Command. He said the meeting was postponed by Noem’s press conference, where he discussed the use of national bodyguards in the city.
Padilla said she decided to listen to a press conference and ask the national guards and FBI agents with her whether she could leave.
Senator California Alex Padilla was pushed to the ground and was handcuffed during a press conference held by the Secretary of Domestic Security Kristi Noem in Los Angeles, 12 June 2025.
Alex Padilla Senator Office
“We, all the time, were escorted in this federal building by someone from a national bodyguard, someone from the FBI. I have gone through film screenings. This is a federal building. So, I tell them, ‘Let’s listen to a press conference.’ They took me to the room, “Padilla told MSNBC.
“The people who escorted me in the building took me. I didn’t even open the door. The door opened for me. And I spent a few minutes behind the room only listened to rhetoric, political rhetoric had to be taken too much. So, I spoke,” he added later.
During his press conference, Noem claimed he would “free” Los Angeles “from socialists and leadership that burden the governor and mayor in this country and this city.”
Padilla told MSNBC that she needed to speak and said she introduced himself before officers grabbed it and pushed him out of the room when the audience recorded the incident.
Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat of California, which disrupted a press conference held by the Secretary of the US Domestic Security Kristi Noem, was expelled from the venue, in Los Angeles, 12 June 2025.
Etienne Laurent/AP
Noem said law enforcement reacted because he took steps towards him without identifying himself. He told Fox News on Thursday that no one knew who he was and that he “lunged forward.”
The video of the incident captured Padilla who identified himself when he was pushed out of the room; It is unclear from the video if he mentioned his name before the incident or when he approached the podium. Padilla wore a dark blue polo shirt that has a US senate logo under a dark blue jacket. He said he was not wearing a pennate pin at the time of the incident.
Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat of California, which disrupted a press conference held by the Secretary of the US Domestic Security Kristi Noem, was expelled from the venue, in Los Angeles, 12 June 2025.
Aude Guerrucci/Reuters
Padilla was not arrested or arrested and he and Noem had a private conversation for “10-15 minutes” after the incident, according to Senator and Secretary.
Noem said that Padilla might not be billed.
Press Secretary of the White House Karoline Leavitt on Thursday said Padilla had to be “embarrassed by her childish behavior.”
“He crashed into the middle of the official press conference held by the Cabinet Secretary, with a careless loss to the podium where @sec_noem spoke, and then refused to leave the room and follow the direction of law enforcement officers,” Leavitt Posted to X.
The Democratic Senator quickly came for Padilla’s defense on Thursday, calling Noem and the officers because of the wrong handling the senator.
“This is an administration that does not respect our democracy, for our institution, for the separation of power, for branches that are equivalent to the Government of Adam Schiff said.
DPR Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican parties punished Padilla. Johnson claims that criticism may be needed. Voting to criticize does not have any strength outside the public criticism over the behavior of members and that does not deny the privileges of members.
The majority leader of Senator John Thune told reporters on Thursday night that he had spoken with Padilla and Sergeant Senate on weapons and had tried to reach Noem and said he was gathering facts.
Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat of California, spoke to reporters after he was forcibly moved after disturbing a press conference held by the Secretary of Domestic Security Kristi Noem, in Los Angeles, 12 June 2025.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP Via Getty Images
“We want to get a full scope of what happens and do what we will do in an incident like this involving a senator, that is, try to gather all relevant information,” he said.
When asked whether he thought what happened according to what he had seen so far, Thune said, “That’s all I have to say.”