A Trump administration official responded to the women's marches yesterday after Press Secretary Sean Spicer ignored shouted questions about the matter on Saturday, NBC News reported.
The comment from the Trump administration official said it was a "shame" that the March for Life next Friday "will not get anywhere near the same amount of coverage that this march got—and those pro-life members were NOT welcome at the Women’s March."
"The organizers noted that their platform is pro-choice and they revoked partnership status’ from pro-life groups," the comment continued.
The comment also called out Madonna, one of many celebrities to speak at marches across the country, for telling crowds that she had "thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House."
The administration official's comment does not include the rest of Madonna's comment, which continued: "But I know that this won't change anything. We cannot fall into despair." Instead, Madonna called for a "revolution of love."
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"Comments like [Madonna's] are absolutely unacceptable and had they been said about President Obama, the mainstream media would be in an uproar," the official continued. "The Trump administration welcomes a robust discussion regarding the critical issues facing America’s women and families."
Hundreds of thousands of women and men poured into the nation's capital Saturday for a march aimed at showing Donald Trump they won't be silent over the next four years.
The Washington, D.C., event was the largest of more than 600 "sister marches" planned across the country and around the world. Organizers estimated 3 million people would march worldwide, and city centers across the U.S. were flooded with people in rallies that lasted for hours.
President Trump responded to the march on Twitter Sunday morning, accusing the marchers of not voting and adding more criticism to the celebrities who attended.
"Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election! Why didn't these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly," Trump wrote.
About an hour and a half later, Trump responded with another tweet, writing, "Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don't always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views."
The marchers brandished signs with messages such as "Women won't back down" and "Less fear more love" and decried Trump's stand on such issues as abortion, health care, diversity and climate change.
The rallies were a peaceful counterpoint to the window-smashing unrest that unfolded on Friday when self-described anarchists tried to disrupt the inauguration. Police used pepper spray and stun grenades against demonstrators. More than 200 people were arrested.
But the Women's March on Washington didn't yield a single arrest, according to D.C. Homeland Security Director Christopher Geldart.
While the march organizers' "mission and vision" statement never mentions Trump and stresses broad themes, including the message that "women's rights are human rights," the unifying factor among those turning out appeared to be a loathing for the new president and dismay that so much of the country voted for him.
The administration official's full reaction is below:
It's a shame that the March for Life, which estimates the same number of marchers in DC (650,000 in 2013) and will be happening next Friday, will not get anywhere near the same amount of coverage that this march got — and those pro-life members were NOT welcome at the Women’s March. The organizers noted that their platform is pro-choice and they revoked partnership status’ from pro-life groups.
Madonna, who was one of the celebrities headlining the march, was quoted saying “Yes, I have thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House” — comments like these are absolutely unacceptable and had they been said about President Obama, the mainstream media would be in an uproar.
The Trump administration welcomes a robust discussion regarding the critical issues facing America’s women and families.
