In a fiery White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt unleashed a scathing attack on U.S. District Judge James Boasberg for issuing a temporary order halting President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportation flights targeting alleged Venezuelan gang members. Leavitt’s bold criticism, which branded Boasberg a “Democrat activist” and accused him of undermining national security, has sparked a vicious backlash from Democrats—culminating in chilling moves that sources claim have put Leavitt and her family in grave danger.
Leavitt’s remarks came on March 19, 2025, when she accused Boasberg of overstepping his authority by blocking Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang to El Salvador. “This judge is essentially saying the President doesn’t have the authority to deport foreign terrorists from American soil. That is an egregious abuse of the bench,” Leavitt declared, noting that Boasberg was appointed by Barack Obama and that his wife, Elizabeth Manson, had donated over $10,000 to Democratic candidates. Her comments echoed Trump’s own fiery rhetoric, in which he called Boasberg a “radical left lunatic” and floated the idea of impeachment.
Democrats’ Alleged Retaliation
Almost immediately after Leavitt’s press conference, sources close to the White House claim that Democratic operatives launched a coordinated campaign to intimidate and endanger the 27-year-old press secretary and her family. According to unverified posts circulating on X, anonymous threats began flooding Leavitt’s personal email and social media accounts, including disturbing messages targeting her husband, Nicholas Riccio, and their extended family in New Hampshire. One alleged message, shared by a pro-Trump X account, read: “You’ll pay for defending Trump’s hate. Your family isn’t safe.” While the authenticity of these threats remains unconfirmed, they have fueled outrage among conservative commentators who accuse Democrats of resorting to “mob tactics” to silence Leavitt.
Insiders allege that prominent Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, have indirectly fueled the hostility by publicly condemning Leavitt’s rhetoric. Van Hollen, who recently traveled to El Salvador to advocate for Kilmar Abrego Garcia—a Salvadoran man wrongly deported to a notorious prison—called Leavitt’s claims about Garcia’s alleged MS-13 ties “baseless lies” that endanger immigrant communities. Critics argue that such statements have emboldened far-left activists to target Leavitt, with some X posts claiming that Antifa-affiliated groups have been spotted near her family’s home in Atkinson, New Hampshire. These claims, however, lack verifiable evidence and should be treated with caution.
A Pattern of Intimidation?
Leavitt’s supporters point to a broader pattern of Democratic aggression against Trump administration officials. They cite the case of Border Czar Tom Homan, who reportedly faced harassment after defiantly stating on Fox News, “I don’t care what the judges think. We’re coming.” Conservative influencers on X have rallied behind Leavitt, with one viral post declaring, “The left can’t handle a strong woman like Karoline standing up for America. Now they’re coming for her family. This is WAR.”
The controversy intensified when Leavitt doubled down on her criticism of Boasberg during a Fox News appearance, falsely claiming that “67 percent of all injunctions in this century” have targeted Trump—a statistic she failed to substantiate when pressed by reporters. Her remarks were swiftly corrected by NBC News’ Garrett Haake, who noted that Boasberg was initially appointed to the D.C. Superior Court by George W. Bush, not just elevated by Obama. The public correction reportedly enraged Leavitt, who later accused the media of colluding with Democrats to “smear” her and protect “activist judges.”
The Deportation Dispute at the Heart of the Storm
The clash stems from Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport hundreds of immigrants, primarily Venezuelans, to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT megaprison. Judge Boasberg’s order on March 15, 2025, paused these flights, citing potential violations of due process and the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act, which prohibits deportations to countries where individuals face torture risks. Boasberg grew furious when the Trump administration continued deportation flights despite his verbal order, prompting a contentious hearing where he accused the government of “deliberately flouting” the court.
Leavitt has insisted that the deportees were “violent criminals and rapists,” a claim undermined by a CBS News investigation revealing that three-quarters of those deported had no criminal records beyond immigration violations. The case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father deported in error, has become a flashpoint, with Leavitt falsely labeling him an “MS-13 ring leader” despite a lack of evidence.
Democrats’ “Dangerous” Moves
Conservative outlets allege that Democrats are escalating their attacks on Leavitt by pressuring social media platforms to censor her statements and by encouraging protests near the White House. A dubious report from a right-wing blog claimed that Van Hollen’s office leaked Leavitt’s personal travel schedule to activist groups, though no credible evidence supports this. Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers like Rep. Yassamin Ansari and Rep. Maxwell Frost, who joined Van Hollen in El Salvador to advocate for Garcia, have accused the Trump administration of “egregious” defiance of court orders, further inflaming tensions.
Elon Musk, a vocal Trump ally, reportedly weighed in on X, endorsing calls to protect Leavitt and her family from “leftist intimidation.” His involvement has amplified the narrative that Democrats are orchestrating a dangerous campaign against her, though specific details remain murky and unverified.
A Nation Divided
As the legal battle over Trump’s deportations heads toward the Supreme Court, Leavitt remains a lightning rod for both praise and scorn. Her defenders laud her as a fearless patriot standing up to judicial overreach, while critics accuse her of spreading falsehoods to justify inhumane policies. The alleged threats against her family, whether real or exaggerated, have only deepened the divide, with X users on both sides trading accusations of “terrorism” and “propaganda.”
For now, Leavitt shows no signs of backing down. “President Trump swore to protect Americans by deporting illegal criminals, and we won’t let activist judges or Democrat threats stop us,” she declared in her latest briefing. As the controversy rages on, the safety of Leavitt and her family remains a contentious and unverified flashpoint in an already polarized nation.
