Tulsi Gabbard rips Dem rep for ‘infuriating’ claim DC National Guard shooting was ‘unfortunate accident’
Washington — The Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, slammed a Democratic House member’s recent description of the Washington, D.C., shooting that claimed the life of a National Guard soldier and left another badly wounded. “It was absolutely ‘infuriating’,” she said on “Fox & Friends,” referencing Representative Bennie Thompson’s comment calling the incident an “unfortunate accident.”
Gabbard was fiery in her criticism. “This is a senior leader in Congress who’s spent a long time heading the Homeland Security Committee,” she said. “He refuses to label this attack for what it really is: a terrorist assault on our own soil, against the men and women of the National Guard who risk their lives day in and day out.”
During a Thursday hearing with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Thompson (D‑Miss.) referred to the death of 20‑year‑old West Virginia Guardswoman Sarah Beckstrom as an “unfortunate accident.” He added, “But you blamed it solely on Joe Biden.” Noem immediately corrected him, saying the event was a terrorist attack that “shot our Guardsmen in the head.”
Later that day, Thompson appeared on CNN to clarify his remarks after an anchor suggested he had “misspoke.” Anchor Kate Bolduan asked, “The man is charged with first‑degree murder. Do you believe it was an accident?” Thompson admitted, “Oh, absolutely not. And, let me be clear—I was moving toward a discussion that she couldn’t blame Joe Biden on the situation because she approved this person’s asylum application.” Bolduan followed up, “So you’re saying you misspoke?” Thompson agreed, noting he was one of several Democrats granted a pardon by former President Biden because of his work on the Jan. 6 investigation.
The shooting on November 26 was carried out by Afghan evacuee Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who traveled from Washington State to the capital. He opened fire on National Guard troops that had been deployed to help reduce crime, with the support of the city’s Democratic mayor. Lakanwal’s 29‑year‑old gun was a revolver, and he shouted “Allahu Akbar” as he fired, according to documents released on December 2. He now faces charges of first‑degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and is being held without bond.
Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital. Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, sustained gunshot wounds but is still recovering. Gabbard told co‑host Brian Kilmeade that the Guard’s mission was to keep the American people safe on the streets of Washington, D.C.
The case highlights the broader issue of Afghan evacuees who entered the U.S. after the August 2021 withdrawal. Lakanwal was one of 88,000 Afghans who came in at that time, and Trump‑era officials have pointed out that many of those evacuees did not receive thorough vetting. National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent told the same committee that of those 88,000, at least 2,000 are suspected or confirmed terrorists. About six have already been arrested for plotting attacks or aiding groups like ISIS.
Kent emphasized that this “exchange really points to the egregious and longstanding problem,” noting that leaders from both sides of the aisle often refuse to label the Islamist terrorist threat for what it truly is. He also said that 18,000 suspected or known terrorists entered the U.S. during Biden’s term, all of whom intelligence agencies are working to apprehend. None of these individuals used the open southern border; they entered through various programs, such as Operation Allies Welcome, and they pose an “individual, decentralized” threat.
In response to the DC shooting, the Trump administration paused Afghan visa issuance and launched a comprehensive review of all evacuees, also halting asylum applications.
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