The protesters outside the White House Monday, who were cleared by police prior to President Trump’s brief visit to St. John’s Episcopal Church, were “professional agitators” and the media fell for their “calculated” tactics, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said late Monday.

“They knew the street needed to be cleared before 7 pm curfew,” Rubio tweeted. “But they deliberately stayed to trigger police action & get the story they wanted, that “police attacked peaceful protesters.”

The criticism that Trump faced after being photographed outside the church was swift. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer issued a joint statement to call out the “photo-op.”