White House says it didn’t ask USTA to help censor reactions to Trump US Open appearance
Attorney General Pam Bondi, President Donald Trump, and granddaughter Arabella Kushner attend the men’s singles final of the US Open Tennis Championships in New York City, September 7, 2025. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — The White House said it didn’t ask the U.S. Tennis Association to censor reactions to President Donald Trump during his attendance at the U.S. Open over the weekend.
“That’s not true,” a White House official told ABC News on Sunday. “We did not ask anyone to censor.”
USTA officials earlier responded to a report that they had asked broadcasters to censor any reactions or protests aimed at Trump as he appeared at the tournament’s men’s final in New York on Sunday.
“We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions,” USTA spokesperson Brendan McIntyre told ABC News.
The Athletic, a sports publication from The New York Times, published a report on Saturday that described a USTA memo to broadcasters. The Athletic reported that it had reviewed the memo.
“We ask all broadcasters to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity,” the USTA said in the memo, according to The Athletic.
The president drew boos and some cheers when he arrived at Arthur Ashe stadium in Queens, where Trump grew up.
Trump, arriving back at Joint Base Andrews after the championship match, said he “really enjoyed” it and said the fans were “great.”
“I loved it. First of all, the two players have unbelievable talent. It just seemed they hit the ball harder than I’ve ever seen before. Incredible talent and I enjoyed it. I used to go all the time but, you know, lately, it’s a little bit more difficult. I really enjoyed it.”
Trump said the “fans were really nice.”
“I didn’t know what to expect. Usually, you would say that would be a somewhat progressive, as they say nowadays, crowd. Sometimes — some people would call it liberal. But we’ll use the word they like to use, progressive. But they were great, the fans were great.”
(WASHINGTON) — California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla became emotional as he spoke on the Senate floor about being forcibly removed from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s news conference last week in Los Angeles.
“If you watch what unfolded last week and that what happened is just about one politician and one press conference, you’re missing the point,” Padilla said. “If that is what the administration is willing to do to a United States senator for having the authority to simply ask a question — imagine what they’ll do to any American who dares to speak up.”
Padilla said a National Guard member and an FBI agent escorted him into the news conference. He said he was in the same building for a different meeting.
“I was physically and aggressively forced out of the room, even as I repeatedly announced I was a United States senator and I had a question for the secretary,” he said. “And even as the National guardsman and the FBI agent who served as my escorts and brought me into that press briefing room stood by — silently, knowing full well who I was. You’ve seen the video. I was pushed and pulled, struggled to maintain my balance.”
Padilla got emotional, struggling to explain what happened last week.
“I was forced to the ground, first on my knees, and then flat on my chest, and as I was handcuffed and marched down a hallway repeatedly asking, ‘Why am I being detained?'” he said.
“I pray you never have a moment like this,” he added.
“‘Am I being arrested here? What will a city already on edge from being militarized think when they see their United States senator being handcuffed just for trying to ask a question? And what will my wife think? What will our boys think?,'” he continued.
Padilla warned about the precedent set by President Donald Trump’s deploying Marines and the National Guard to Los Angeles.
“What’s happening is not just a threat to California, it’s a threat to everyone in every state,” he said. “If Donald Trump can bypass the governor and activate the National Guard to put down protests on immigrant rights, he can do it to suppress your rights, too. If he can deploy the Marines to Los Angeles without justification, he can deploy them to your state, too,” he added.
Padilla received a loud round of applause from some senators in the chamber.
(WASHINGTON) — Senators will be briefed by law enforcement on Tuesday on safety and security after the murder of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband and the wounding of another and his wife on Saturday.
House Republicans held a conference call, which was described as “tense,” on Saturday with the House sergeant at arms and U.S. Capitol Police to discuss their concerns, multiple sources familiar with the call told ABC News. Several Republicans said on the one-hour call that they feel unsafe in their home districts and want more protection, sources said.
The key source of contention in particular was the request of police outside their homes at all times and law enforcement authorities saying they need more funding from Congress to provide that.
Senators will be briefed by the Senate sergeant at arms and Capitol Police on Tuesday morning, two sources familiar told ABC News, after it was requested by Majority Leader John Thune and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
House Democrats are expected to have a similar call in the coming days. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement Saturday that he asked the sergeant at arms and Capitol Police to “ensure the safety” of the Minnesota delegation and members of Congress “across the country.”
While House and Senate leadership are provided with a security detail, rank-and-file members are not routinely protected unless there is a specific threat.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar told ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday that political violence is a “rampant problem.” Fellow Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith told NBC News on Sunday, “I don’t want to think that I have to a personal security detail everywhere I go, but I think we really have to look at the situation that we’re in.
“This is no way for our government to work when people, any number of us, feel this kind of threat,” she said.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz said he might force a vote on a “secret session” in the House to discuss security and so that “members can handle this ourselves.”
Vance Boelter, 57, faces multiple federal charges in the killing of Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounding Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in “political assassinations,” acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Joseph Thompson said Monday.
In a 20-page affidavit, prosecutors outlined how they say Boelter “embarked on a planned campaign of stalking and violence, designed to inflict fear, injure and kill members of the Minnesota state legislature and their families.” He allegedly had firearms and a list of 45 elected officials, “mostly or all Democrats,” according to prosecutors. Authorities say Boelter traveled to the homes of at least four public officials during the early morning hours of Saturday before the killings.
Michigan Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten on Monday postponed a town hall event after learning she was “on a list connected to the recent tragic shooting in Minnesota.”
“Out of an abundance of caution and to not divert additional law enforcement resources away from protecting the broader public at this time, this is the responsible choice,” Scholten said in a statement.
Ohio Democratic Rep. Greg Landsman also said he was told by Capitol Police that his name was on the suspect’s list and that the Cincinnati Police Department quickly increased security for him and his family over the weekend.
Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan told ABC News that he and fellow Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore were both named in the suspect’s writings. Pocan, who represents the Madison area, said he was notified by law enforcement on Sunday and “that was it” — there was no change to the posture of his personal security.
The number of threats and “concerning statements” against members of Congress, their families and staffs has risen for the past two years, according to Capitol Police, which pointed out that threats tend to increase during election years. The Capitol Police’s Threat Assessment Section investigated 9,474 threats and statements in 2024 and 8,008. It investigated 3,939 cases in 2017.
ABC News’ Isabella Murray and John Parkinson contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — As President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in Washington continued Wednesday, protesters booed Vice President JD Vance during a photo op with the guardsmen stationed in the city.
The protesters jeered Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller as they visited Union Station, blocks from the U.S. Capitol, to thank the troops at a Shake Shack where they bought lunch for the guard members.
“Well, a lot has changed in the past seven days,” Vance told the troops, referring to when the federal surge against D.C. crime began. “You guys are doing a hell of a job. I’m proud of you and we’re grateful,” he told the troops. So, we’ll say hello for a bit — just want to shake some hands and say hey to you guys.”
“Free D.C.,” the protesters shouted as the three officials arrived and then later inside the Shake Shack. The chants drowned out much of what Vance, Hegseth and Miller said as they tried to speak to reporters.
Vance and Miller dismissed the jeers, calling the protesters “crazy” and “communists.”
“They appear to hate the idea that Americans can enjoy their communities,” Vance said.
Vance was asked why troops were stationed at Union Station instead of parts of the city with higher crime rates. The vice president said the station was being overrun with homeless people and visitors didn’t feel safe.
“This should be a monument to American greatness,” he said.
Vance added that he believed that crime statistics do not report the full scope of crime on the streets of the nation’s capital.
At a back-to-school event Wednesday morning, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the city doesn’t need federal agents to ensure safety in D.C.
“Crime has gone down in our city and it has gone down precipitously over the last two years because of a lot of hard work, changes to our public safety ecosystem, including changes to the law,” Bowser said. “And we know that those facts don’t comport to what some people are saying, but those are the facts.”
Bowser also said she doesn’t believe the National Guard should be used for “law enforcement.”
“They have to be used on mission specific items that benefit the nation,” she said of the guardsmen.
However, when asked about how her relationship with President Trump has changed since the start of the year, Bowser said her plan is to “represent the district.”
Flanked by Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith, Bowser repeatedly deferred to Smith when asked about the city’s crime data.
The MPD has been collaborative with the federal agencies and so far has developed a congenial relationship with its federal partners, according to Smith. Smith also acknowledged having federal agents spread throughout the city has been helpful to the city’s police force.
“Hearing from the officers on the street, some of them have found it to be very helpful, some people in the community have found it to be very helpful,” she said.
ABC News’ Arthur Jones II contributed to this report.
