Karoline Leavitt dismisses Steve Bannon’s push to place ICE at polling stations during midterms

WASHINGTON, DC: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday, February 5, said President Donald Trump has never raised the idea of deploying federal agents at polling sites for the November midterm elections.

Her comments came after former White House strategist and podcaster, Steve Bannon, said Tuesday, February 3, that he wants Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers surrounding polling locations during the November midterm elections.

Karoline Leavitt responds to a ‘silly hypothetical’ question

A reporter at Thursday’s press briefing referenced Bannon's remark about ICE involvement and asked if the president is considering it. 

Leavitt responded that she was unaware of the president ever entertaining that idea. "That’s not something I’ve ever heard the president consider, no."

The reporter pressed further, asking if she could assure the public that ICE agents would not be present at polling or voting sites in November. 

Leavitt said she could not make an absolute guarantee, "I can’t guarantee that an ICE agent won’t be around a polling location in November. I mean, that’s frankly a very silly hypothetical question, but what I can tell you is I haven’t heard the president discuss any formal plans to put ICE outside of polling locations."

She then dismissed the line of questioning, "It's a disingenuous question."

Steve Bannon wants ICE officers at polls during midterm elections

Bannon said that he wants ICE officers to “surround the polls” during the November midterm elections. 

Bannon reinforced his remarks later in the week, making clear he was not backing away from the idea.

Speaking on his 'War Room' podcast, Bannon declared, “You’re damn right we’re going to have ICE surround the polls come November,” framing the proposal as a response to what he described as past election theft. 

He dismissed critics, saying they could “whine and cry” all they want, but insisted his side would never again allow an election to be stolen.

Trump calls for nationalizing elections

Bannon’s remarks came after President Trump renewed his call to nationalize elections.

On Tuesday, February 3, Trump told reporters that Republicans should “take over the voting in at least 15 places.”

Speaking in the Oval Office after signing a bill with Republican lawmakers, Trump said he wants elections to be “honest” and argued that if a state cannot run an election properly, others should step in.

Trump also claimed, without providing evidence, that serious corruption is happening in Democratic-led cities such as Detroit, Philadelphia, and Atlanta.

He again focused on Georgia, particularly Fulton County, which he has repeatedly accused of playing a role in what he falsely claims was a stolen 2020 election.

Questions on Capitol Hill grew after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seized voting records during a raid last week at Fulton County’s elections office. Trump has continued to blame his 2020 loss to former President Joe Biden on widespread fraud, including unproven claims that undocumented immigrants voted illegally.

Many Republicans have since backed the SAVE Act, a bill that would require voters to show identification and proof of US citizenship.

Democrats have strongly opposed the measure, calling it an attack on voting rights that could block millions of Americans from casting a ballot.