A rock musician and Grammy recipient caught White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt off guard with his inquiry regarding freedom of expression and political refuge during Monday’s briefing.
Winston Marshall, who previously played banjo with the UK folk ensemble Mumford & Sons, urged US President Donald Trump to offer sanctuary to British citizens facing prosecution under their nation’s “hate speech” regulations.
Marshall, who departed the group in 2021, expressed concern about his compatriots receiving “extensive prison sentences for tweets, social media posts and general free speech issues,” before posing his question, New York Post reported.
The former Mumford & Sons instrumentalist Winston Marshall enquired whether press secretary Karoline Leavitt if the Trump administration would “consider asylum for British citizens.”
“Would the Trump administration consider asylum for British citizens in such a situation?” queried Marshall, who currently hosts “The Winston Marshall Show” podcast.
The question visibly surprised Leavitt.
“I have not heard that proposed to the president nor have I spoken to him about that idea, but I certainly can talk to our national security team and see if it’s something the administration would entertain,” she responded.