White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt tackled an unusual question from a Grammy Award-winning musician during Monday’s press briefing.
Leavitt seemed surprised by the question posed by Winston Marshall, who left the band Mumford & Sons in 2021. The band’s former banjo player wondered if British citizens being subjected to prosecution in the U.K. over “hate speech” would be granted political asylum by the Trump administration.
Marshall explained that “we have had a quarter of a million people issued non-hate crime incidents” as he prepared to ask Leavitt his question.
“As we speak, there are people in prison for quite literally reposting memes,” the 37-year-old British musician said at Monday’s White House press briefing.
Will the Trump administration consider political asylum for British Citizens prosecuted for speech? I asked @PressSec Karoline Leavitt and this was her response: pic.twitter.com/UDZcc6OB4A
— Winston Marshall (@MrWinMarshall) April 28, 2025
“We have extensive prison sentences for tweets, social media posts and general free speech issues,” continued Marshall, who hosts the podcast, “The Winston Marshall Show.”
“Would the Trump administration consider asylum for British citizens in such a situation?” he asked Leavitt.
The press secretary thought his question was “a very good one.”
“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 told Marshall.
Marshall recently spoke with Bill Maher on his Club Random podcast about his ouster from Mumford & Sons and being “canceled” over his views.
Vice President JD Vance recently blasted Britain, where free speech is “in retreat,” noting how a 51-year-old physiotherapist and an Army veteran, Adam Smith-Connor, was charged by the government after praying near an abortion clinic.
“After British law enforcement spotted him and demanded to know what he was praying for, Adam replied simply it was on behalf of the unborn son he and his former girlfriend had aborted years before,” Vance recounted in his address at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
“Now, the officers were not moved – Adam was found guilty of (breaking) the Government’s new buffer zones law, which criminalizes silent prayer and other actions that could influence a person’s decision within 200 meters of abortion facility,” Vance continued. “He was sentenced to pay thousands of pounds in legal costs to the prosecution… In Britain and across Europe, free speech, I fear, is in retreat.”
Social media users applauded Marshall for his question at the White House and his “new political fame.”
This was a great question.
— Mr Reagan 🇺🇸 (@MrReaganUSA) April 29, 2025
Did you ever think you’d wind up in that situation? What a well deserved honor and privilege!
— James Katchen – (@JamesKatchen) April 28, 2025
Bravo!! Seeing you embrace your new political fame has been glorious! I know this isn’t what you planned but watching you has been inspiring and wonderful!!
— Run_4_Bacon (@caroline698) April 29, 2025
Great question, one that both sides of the Atlantic have wondered considering what’s happening in your country. Karoline was impressed as I’m sure President Trump will be.
THIS is exactly what political asylum is for!
We’re ready for you, Brits! ♥️— Cathey JD🌻 (@Rational119) April 28, 2025
