CNN security analyst goes against Dem narrative with full-throttled defense of DHS Sec. Noem

A CNN analyst, much to his credit, rushed to the defense of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her security entourage Thursday after they detained a misbehaving Democrat senator.

Security correspondent Josh Campbell argued outright that Noem’s entourage had been 100 percent in the right to forcefully stop Sen. Alex Padilla, when he rudely crashed a DHS press conference in Los Angeles.

“From a law enforcement perspective, we’re really looking at three separate incidents that happened within a short period of time,” he began on CNN. “First, you have the DHS secretary who was addressing the press. This was not a Q&A period, and she was interrupted.”

“She was interrupted by someone who was speaking very loudly. And so her security detail confronts what we obviously now know to be the senator. And at that point, he is now going to be escorted out. You can’t interrupt something like that that’s already in progress without having those consequences,” he added.

Correct.

“The second incident, in my view, happens the moment — as officers are trying to lead him out — he then turns and walks back towards kind of into those agents,” Campbell continued. “At that point, from a security detail perspective, we’re taking this person out against their will.”

“We’ve asked the person — and again, this is all happening very quickly — but the moment he then turns into them, they realize this is not someone who is going to comply,” the CNN analyst added.

Campbell did then admittedly raise some concerns about the level of force that was used to get Padilla under control.

“There will be big questions raised about those kinds of tactics [used],” he said. “Were there other options that were available to the federal agents as well — as the FBI police officer there — who is responsible for security in that FBI building? What they do is they actually order him to his knees and then quickly shove him down to the ground, where he is then handcuffed?”

“So again, you’re in a federal building, people are screened for weapons — him having a gun or some type of device like that would not be a concern for those officers. So there will be a big question about the tactics that were used by the officers as they put handcuffs on him,” he added.

When Alex Padilla was CA Sec. of State, his office sent an email to Twitter 1.0 saying that “dc_draino is spreading election misinformation”

Weeks later I was banned for “election misinformation” for almost 2 years

Now I’m back on X with 2.2M followers and he’s getting arrested… pic.twitter.com/yJfTpqjrRk

— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) June 12, 2025

Campbell concluded his commentary by giving a full-throated defense of Noem, whom he confidently asserted had done nothing wrong.

“This was neither the fault nor the responsibility of DHS Secretary Noem,” he said. “She’s in the middle of a press conference. There’s someone who interrupts and then makes it clear by his movements that he is not going to comply. He’s taken out. Again, I don’t think any of that was her responsibility.”

Campbell isn’t the only one who’s effectively sided with the Trump administration. So has ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

“You — a United States senator — couldn’t compose yourself and let the head of Homeland Security finish her thoughts before you asked a question? Couldn’t do that, huh!?” he asked incredulously in a segment recorded after the incident occurred.

Listen:

NEW: Stephen A. Smith GOES OFF on Dem Sen. Alex Padilla over behavior at Kristi Noem press conference

“You — a United States senator — couldn’t compose yourself and let the head of Homeland Security finish her thoughts before you asked a question?”

“Couldn’t do that, huh?”… pic.twitter.com/L5tf46pP3k

— Jason Cohen (@JasonJournoDC) June 13, 2025

Democrats, meanwhile, have been having a mental breakdown, because God forbid “one of the nation’s highest-ranking Hispanic public officials,” as Axios puts it, be treated like everybody else instead of like an aristocrat with special privileges and perks.

“This is the stuff of dictatorships. It is actually happening,” Sen. Brian Schatz whined to the outlet.

The Trump administration, for its part, isn’t humoring the Democrats’ nonsense.

“Padilla stormed a press conference, without wearing his Senate pin or previously identifying himself to security, yelled, and lunged toward Secretary Noem,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement. “Padilla didn’t want answers; he wanted attention.”

Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem.

Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’… https://t.co/5TGxrRZ2Ex

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) June 12, 2025

Senior Staff Writer
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V. Saxena is a staff writer for BizPac Review with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University.

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