Gabbard Criticizes Democratic Lawmakers’ Comments on D.C. Shooting
During a hearing in Washington, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard expressed her frustration over Democratic House members referring to last month’s mass shooting in D.C., which resulted in the death of a National Guardsman, as an “unfortunate accident.”
Gabbard pointed out that Rep. Bennie Thompson, who leads the Homeland Security Committee, should be able to more clearly identify the nature of the attack. “He cannot directly identify what this attack was, and he denies it,” she stated. Gabbard emphasized that this was a terrorist attack on American soil, specifically targeting the National Guard personnel who risk their lives for safety.
Thompson, during a recent hearing with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, described the shooting of 20-year-old National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom as an “unfortunate accident.” His comments drew immediate criticism.
Gabbard questioned the characterization of the incident by saying, “An unfortunate accident? It was a terrorist attack. He shot our guard in the head,” which underlined the gravity of the situation.
As Thompson later appeared on CNN, an anchor suggested he might have “misspoke,” prompting Thompson to clarify his earlier remarks. “Oh, absolutely not,” he replied when asked if it was indeed an accident, attempting to distance the incident from broader political blame.
Rahmanullah Rakanwal, the suspect, had reportedly traveled from Washington state to D.C. and attacked the National Guard troops while they were deployed to assist in crime reduction efforts.
Beckstrom died from her injuries, while 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe is still recovering from his gunshot wounds. Gabbard highlighted that the Guard’s mission was to keep the streets of D.C. safe.
The shooter, Lakhanwal, has been charged with first-degree murder and other serious offenses. An indictment noted that he allegedly shouted “Allah Akbar” while firing, and he is currently held without bail.
This incident, which follows the evacuation of 88,000 Afghans during the U.S. troop withdrawal, raises questions about proper vetting processes for refugees. Critics argue that those like Lakhanwal were not adequately screened for entry into the U.S.
Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, indicated that of the Afghan evacuees, a concerning number—at least 2,000—have been identified as terrorism suspects. He noted ongoing efforts to capture these individuals, which highlights the complexities surrounding national security.
Gabbard reinforced that this situation underscores a larger issue: the reluctance of political leaders to confront the reality of Islamist terrorism. She noted the past admission that thousands of suspected terrorists have entered the country during recent years, and stated that some were aiming for decentralized attacks on American soil.
In response to the D.C. shooting, the Trump administration has suspended visas for Afghan evacuees and is reevaluating the vetting process for future entries.
