Democratic congressman faces backlash for ‘disgusting’ remarks about attack on National Guard members

Democratic Lawmaker Criticized Over Comments on National Guard Attack

A Democratic congressman is under fire for his remarks on a tragic incident involving two National Guard members, which resulted in one death.

Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi) was questioning officials from the Department of Homeland Security when Kristi Noem appeared to downplay the severity of the attack. Thompson, who serves as the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, pushed back against her comments.

“Benny Thompson should apologize and retract this offensive comment.”

During the exchange, Thompson referred to the fatal event as an “unfortunate accident.” This prompted a sharp response from Noem, who interjected, “Do you really think it was an unfortunate accident? It was a terrorist attack!”

Thompson, notably agitated, reiterated his point, struggling to maintain composure as Noem pressed for clarity on the nature of the attack.

He later turned his focus on who had approved the suspect’s asylum application, asking questions about how the individual was allowed into the U.S. amid the evacuation from Afghanistan during the Biden administration.

As their discussion unfolded, the video of this interaction circulated widely, drawing significant backlash on social media.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) expressed outrage, stating, “The killing of National Guard Sarah Beckstrom was not an ‘unfortunate accident.’ It was a planned terrorist attack.” He reiterated the call for Thompson to apologize for his remarks.

Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, commented on Fox News regarding Thompson’s inability to accurately characterize the attack. She labeled it a sign of an ongoing issue with political leadership, lamenting that both parties often fail to address the Islamist terrorist threats effectively.