Donald Trump was visibly stumped when asked a question about a Latin phrase used primarily in the court system.
The president, 79, was fielding questions from conservative influencers in the State Dining Room of the White House while hosting an Antifa roundtable when one reporter asked the president about tackling the anti-fascist movement.
The Trump administration has branded Antifa–a term for far-left activists–a domestic terrorist organization and used Wednesday to blame it for “carrying out a campaign of violence” at Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
“Have you given any more thought to possibly suspending habeas corpus to not only deal with these insurrectionists across the nation but also to continue rapidly deporting illegal aliens,” the president was asked.
Trump, appearing unclear on the question, responded, “suspending who?,” apparently thinking habeas corpus was a person.
The reporter repeated, “habeas corpus,” leading Trump to squirm, “Oh, oh, I don’t know, I’d rather leave that to Kristi.” Trump was referencing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who was sitting beside the president. “What do you think?”
Noem also deflected, awkwardly stating, “Sir, I haven’t been a part of any discussions on that.”
Trump appeared to purse his lips and move on.
Habeas corpus is a Latin term that translates to, “that you have the body.” Federal courts can use the writ of habeas corpus to determine if a state’s detention of a prisoner is valid. The writ can be used to bring a prisoner to court to determine if their detention is lawful.
Asking Noem may not have been in the president’s best interests. Testifying before the Senate back in May, Noem was herself humiliated when asked by Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan about the meaning of habeas corpus.
“Habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country,” she said.
“That’s incorrect,” the New Hampshire Democrat said.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
“Comforting,” wrote California Governor Gavin Newsom in footage of the moment posted to social media.
During the Wednesday roundtable, Trump said he would be willing to designate Antifa a foreign terror organization after designating it as a domestic terror group last month.
Attorney General Pam Bondi backed Trump’s attacks on the anti-fascist organization.
“Fighting crime is more than just getting the bad guy off the streets,” Bondi said. “It’s breaking down the organization brick by brick, just like we did with cartels. We’re going to take the same approach, President Trump, with Antifa, destroy the entire organization, from top to bottom. We’re going to take them apart.”
Noem claimed that Antifa is “just as sophisticated as MS-13, as TDA (Tren de Aragua), as ISIS, as Hezbollah, as Hamas, as all of them. They are just as dangerous.”
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