Morning Joe Criticizes White House Security Changes, Worries About Obama Center

Nicholas Spinnato
June 18th, 2026 11:54 PM

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On Thursday’s Morning Joe, in the midst of coverage of the Obama Presidential Center’s opening, co-host Jonathan Lemire still had time in the show to attack the Trump administration and changes to security footprint in Washington DC. Lemire complained about security additions at Lafayette Park, the grass-filled park right outside of the White House, which he said made the building “less accessible to the people”

Co-host Willie Geist detailed the story with a frame of the park as a key place for protests. He then actually detailed the project, which he said, “would give officials the ability to shut down the park if they feel it's necessary, according to three people who spoke on the condition of anonymity,” before he shortly added: “The Secret Service has been pushing for that plan.”

Geist then mentioned the protests at Lafayette Square in 2020, best known for when law enforcement cleared the protests in front of the White House amid days of violence, before he inferred the security changes might be an attempt to minimize America 250 protests:

Obviously, John, Lafayette Square fraught during the Trump Administration because of that incident that we recalled. They had the National Guard come in and clear the square so Donald Trump could walk through and go to the church. Putting up a fence here, perhaps deterring protests they might be expecting around the America 250 celebration.

 

 

Lemire responded to Geist and mentioned his feelings about police actions at the park in 2020:

First of all, you're right to recall that what happened in 2020 seems real violence there. People thought that the federal law enforcement and the National Guard went way too far in clearing up those protests.

As a reminder for Lemire and his thoughts on police violence against protestors, an NPR headline from June 1, 2020, read “Protesters Set Fire to Vehicles, Buildings Near White House.” There was also the gunman who opened fire on Secret Service a block from the park, just last month.

He then continued his complaint and said the move was “about infringing on space to protest and the ongoing fortification of the White House.” Lemire added that security measures in recent months have been “making it far less accessible to the people.”

 

 

Less than an hour after Lemire’s security bolstering complaints in DC, he introduced a report from reporter Nnamdi Egwuowu at the Obama Presidential Center that included a portion about the “top concern” of security at the center’s opening:

So, with the guest list that looks like that, just with the amount of diplomats, dignitaries, officials, celebrities that are coming, you can imagine security was a top concern. MS NOW actually got to talk to James Morley. He is the Secret Service head who oversaw all the security planning for today's event. He said it started six months ago (...)

The concern was perfectly reasonable, but came after Lemire complained about White House's added security "making it far less accessible to the people.” 

Amid shootings and violence against politicians, including three assassination attempts against the current President, Lemire might be wise to tune down his personal animosity toward security additions just because they were coming from a President he clearly disliked.

The transcript is below. Click "expand":

MS NOW’s Morning Joe

June 18, 2026

7:52:56 AM Eastern

(...)

WILLIE GEIST: And the Trump Administration reportedly is planning to install a permanent fence now around Lafayette Square. That's, of course, the public park right across from the White House, frequented by tourists but also used for protests. The plan, reported by The Washington Post, would give officials the ability to shut down the park if they feel it's necessary, according to three people who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The Secret Service has been pushing for that plan. 

The idea of a permanent fence previously was discussed during the first Trump Administration, after demonstrators flooded the park at the height of the George Floyd protests. At one point, authorities used tear gas and rubber bullets to clear that area of protesters so President Trump could walk across the square for a photo op. 

Obviously, John, Lafayette Square fraught during the Trump Administration because of that incident that we recalled. They had the National Guard come in and clear the square so Donald Trump could walk through and go to the church. Putting up a fence here, perhaps deterring protests they might be expecting around the America 250 celebration.

JONATHAN LEMIRE: Yeah, a couple of things here. First of all, you're right to recall that what happened in 2020 seems real violence there. People thought that the federal law enforcement and the National Guard went way too far in clearing up those protests.

Lafayette Park has always been a traditional site of protest in Washington. There have even been some - I've walked through that park many times, you have to go through it to get to the white house. A permanent protest structure like there was an anti-nuke thing thatTrump already cleared out, he didn't like how it looked. And so that's part of this. 

This is part of Trump's effort to beautify Washington and remake it in his image. But it's also about infringing on space to protest and the ongoing fortification of the White House. There are more and more security measures have gone up in recent months, making it far less accessible to the people. It is the people's house, and this is the excuse that the administration is using to try to build this ballroom. They've now turned it into - it's a security measure that they feel like the president needs to have this to in order to be safe there in the executive mansion. 

This all seems connected as part of an effort to really sort of harden what should be a space with appropriate security that is for the American people.

(...)

8:37:52 AM Eastern

LEMIRE: Tell us more about today's festivities and what people can expect when they get a chance to visit the brand-new Obama Center.

NNAMDI EGWUONWU: You know, you use the term star-studded, and that is accurate in describing what we're going to see here in just a couple of hours. Things are expected to kick off around noon. And let me tell you, it's not every day a work assignment turns into a music festival, but that's what today feels like. We're going to see performances by Christina Aguilera, by Bono, by Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, Tems, a personal favorite of mine. The list goes on. 

There will also be shout-outs for the former presidents you listed that are attending, as well as the first ladies that are coming. So, with the guest list that looks like that, just with the amount of diplomats, dignitaries, officials, celebrities that are coming, you can imagine security was a top concern. MS NOW actually got to talk to James Morley. He is the Secret Service head who oversaw all the security planning for today's event. He said it started six months ago. Take a listen to some of the work he said that went into that planning.

[Cuts to interview]

JAMES MORLEY (SECRET SERVICE - CHICAGO): We have support from federal, state, and local partners, law enforcement. You see the anti-scale fencing here. We'll have vehicle checkpoints, magnetometers. They'll be tactical assets, some that the public will see and some that they won't. We'll have drones providing overwatch. We have a temporary flight restriction in place that will restrict access from aircraft and drones. So, it is a very comprehensive security plan.

(...)

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