Leavitt scoffs at Bannon's threat of ICE at polling places as a 'silly hypothetical'
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 5, 2026. REUTERS/Al Drago

White House Press Secretary called Steve Bannon's demand that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and the military be deployed to polling locations a "silly hypothetical," but didn't deny that it could happen.

"Steve Bannon recently said, quote, 'we're going to have ICE around the polls come November,'" a reporter told Leavitt during Thursday's White House briefing. "Is that something that the president is considering?"

"That's not something I've ever heard the president consider, no," the press secretary replied.

"You can guarantee to the American public that ICE will not be around polling locations or voting locations in November?" the reporter pressed.

"I can't guarantee that an ICE agent won't be around a polling location in November," Leavitt insisted. "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 added. "It's a disingenuous question."