Political experts and observers alike hit Donald Trump's Department of Homeland Security with brutal corrections on Saturday, after the agency released what some called an "embarrassing" statement about violence against police officers.
It started ahead of the weekend, when the Trump administration's Homeland Security posted this to its social media.:
"Reminder: if you lay a finger on a federal officer or agent, you will face the full extent of the law."
Online analysts and onlookers were quick to point out one fatal flaw in the DHS' argument about prosecuting violence against police officers: Trump gave a blanket pardon for the siege that took place when MAGA voters tried to overturn a lawful election on Jan. 6, 2021.
Adam Cochran, a professor and investor, chimed in with, "Unless Trump pardons you for beating them with a flagpole while storming the Capitol."
The extremely popular liberal commentator known as Wu Tang is for the Children asked one question, "So what happened here?" with a video of MAGA rioters beating up police officers.
Mike Nelson, a retired Army Special Forces officer and a member of the Atlantic Council’s Counterterrorism Project, offered a simple "reminder that Capitol Police are, in fact, also federal officers."
Writer Ben Amey replied with, "No one respects you or is scared of you anymore. We know you're just insecure, power tripping psychopaths who don't have a place in American society. Each and every one of you will be brought to justice."
Bill Prady, co-creator of “The Big Bang Theory," weighed in, "Unless you’re a Trump supporter at the Capitol."
"Then you can assault all the federal cops you want," Prady added.
NPR's Tom Dreisbach said, "Under the Trump administration, there is an exception to this rule for Jan. 6 rioters."
Novelist John A. Daly responded with, "If you retweeted this in earnest, rather than irony, I'm embarrassed for you."
https://t.co/fou47xyPodpic.twitter.com/Ym2eZQXIm2
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) January 10, 2026