Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi), who serves as the ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, described an attack on two National Guard members that left one dead during questioning of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday.
Thompson stated: “It was an unfortunate situation, but you blamed it solely on Joe Biden. I want you to know who approved the asylum application for this same person?”
Noem responded that the suspect in the shooting had been allowed into the country during Afghanistan evacuations under the Biden administration.
Thompson continued to press about the approval of his asylum under the Trump administration.
The video of the exchange went viral on social media, prompting immediate criticism. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) tweeted: “The killing of National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom was not an ‘unfortunate accident.’ It was a premeditated terrorist attack.”
National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard criticized Thompson on Fox News, stating that the moment exemplified a common problem among political leaders: failing to identify terrorism as it occurs.
Thompson later clarified that he had misstated his remarks.
