Author name: Keith Burns

Democrats Drop ‘New’ Epstein Island Photos and Video, People Have Questions
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Democrats Drop ‘New’ Epstein Island Photos and Video, People Have Questions

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Democrats on the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday released a collection of previously unseen photos and videos taken on Jeffrey Epstein’s private island, describing the material as part of their ongoing investigation into Epstein’s criminal network and associates.

The images were made available through a public link and accompanied by a statement from committee Democrats.

“These new images are a disturbing look into the world of Jeffrey Epstein and his island. We are releasing these photos and videos to ensure public transparency in our investigation and to help piece together the full picture of Epstein’s horrific crimes,” the statement said.

Committee Democrats added, “We won’t stop fighting until we deliver justice for the survivors.”

A Republican member of the Oversight Committee criticized the release, saying it represented another instance of selective disclosure by the minority.

“It is odd that Democrats are once again releasing selective information, as they have done before. The last time Democrats cherry-picked and doctored documents, their attempt to construct yet another hoax against President Trump completely collapsed,” the lawmaker told Axios.

According to a spokesperson for the committee, the released material was part of a larger collection of approximately 5,000 documents obtained in response to subpoenas issued by Oversight Chairman Jim Comer.

The subpoenas were directed to JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank, and a separate request was sent to the U.S. Virgin Islands for related records.

Among the images included in the release was a photograph of a large sitting room containing a chalkboard with partial redactions.

The release marks the latest development in congressional efforts to examine Epstein’s activities, his financial relationships, and the individuals who visited or conducted business with him prior to his death in federal custody.

The publication of the photos and videos follows earlier public interest in off-site imagery, including drone footage captured over Epstein’s island shortly after his death in 2019.

As of Wednesday, the committee had not announced when additional documents from the 5,000-record collection might be made public, nor had Democrats indicated whether further disclosures were planned.

Republicans continue to call for the complete, unredacted release of all subpoenaed documents.

Fraud Fallout Sparks Massive ICE Operation in Minneapolis Somali Enclave
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Fraud Fallout Sparks Massive ICE Operation in Minneapolis Somali Enclave

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The Trump administration has launched a new effort in Minneapolis aimed at locating and removing illegal Somali immigrants, deploying more than 100 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as part of an expanded enforcement operation.

According to multiple reports, immigration agents are focusing on as many as 500 Somalis believed to be in the country illegally.

Minneapolis is home to the largest Somali population in the United States, estimated at more than 80,000.

The action comes after disclosures from the Minnesota Department of Human Services that individuals in the Somali migrant community carried out large-scale fraud schemes costing the state approximately $1 billion.

The schemes occurred during the tenure of Gov. Tim Walz, according to the department’s findings.

President Trump addressed the issue during a White House cabinet meeting Tuesday.

“I don’t want them in our country,” he said, referring to Somali illegal immigrants.

He also described Somalia as a nation that “stinks,” and criticized Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who was born in Somalia, calling her “garbage.”

As the enforcement effort expanded, the Department of Homeland Security emphasized that the operation was not directed at any specific ethnic community.

ICE teams also increased activity in New Orleans as part of the broader initiative.

“Every day, ICE enforces the laws of the nation across the country. What makes someone a target of ICE is not their race or ethnicity, but the fact that they are in the country illegally. We do not discuss future or potential operations,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Wednesday in a statement as the operation began.

Reports indicate that the Minneapolis effort involves door-to-door actions, surveillance and coordinated movements by federal officers intended to locate individuals with outstanding removal orders.

The estimate of up to 500 potential targets is based on internal assessments of individuals who have exhausted legal avenues to remain in the country.

Minneapolis and surrounding communities have been a focal point for federal immigration discussions due to the size of the Somali population and the recent revelations of fraud within the state’s benefits system.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services has stated that the schemes involved fraudulent billing and improper use of public funds, with losses totaling around $1 billion. State records show that the activity spanned multiple years and involved numerous participants.

The Trump administration’s move marks one of the largest targeted immigration operations in Minnesota in recent years.

Federal sources cited the combination of illegal residency cases and the recent fraud findings as factors prompting the deployment of additional personnel.

The operation will continue in Minneapolis and New Orleans, with DHS maintaining that enforcement activity is based solely on immigration status and existing removal orders.

Corruption in Newsom’s California is Worse than Tim Walz’s Minnesota: Steve Hilton
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Corruption in Newsom’s California is Worse than Tim Walz’s Minnesota: Steve Hilton

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Steve Hilton shared an account from the campaign trail to illustrate what he described as deep, systemic problems inside California’s welfare system.

The story involved a hotel owner near Sacramento and a new employee from Afghanistan whose situation, Hilton said, exposes the scale of benefits and the incentives built into the state’s programs.

Hilton said, “Here’s a story just from the campaign trail. A few weeks ago, I met a guy who owns a hotel, an Airport Hotel, near Sacramento, the seat of California’s government, and he he had a new employee to drive the shuttle bus to the airport from Afghanistan, an immigrant from Afghanistan.”

Hilton said the employee made an unusual request after being hired.

“After two days, this person said to the the owner of the hotel, could he please be paid in cash? And and the person I was talking said, Well, no, we don’t do it like that. You’re on payroll. Why do you want to be paid in cash? Well, I’m worried that I’ll lose all my welfare benefits,” he said.

Hilton said the employee then revealed the value of those benefits.

“Really. How much are they? Here’s the number, $7,000 a month. $7,000 a month. So even with, you know, Tim Walt’s level accounting skills, we can figure out that’s $84,000 a year,” he said.

Hilton contrasted that figure with other public numbers, adding, “In that post you mentioned from the president, he talked about 50,000 This is Sacramento County, $84,000 a year.”

Hilton said the hotel owner learned even more about the support the employee received.

“On top of that, he dug into it. This person from Afghanistan was told by social services in Sacramento, by Sacramento County, and don’t worry, we going to deliver groceries to to your house, because you shouldn’t go shopping because Americans are racist, and it’s safer for you to stay at home and we’ll deliver your groceries,” he said.

Hilton reacted to the situation by asking, “I mean, what are we doing in this country? What are we doing?”

Hilton said the situation reflects broader issues inside the state.

“And the point that I’m making today is that just as with everything else, whatever we’re seeing in Minnesota, you can be sure it’s much worse. In California, we’ve had longer period of uninterrupted one party rule, and we have a budget of over 320 $5 billion,” he said.

He pointed to documented cases of waste and fraud.

“We already know that over $20 billion was lost to fraud in the pandemic with what they call the EDD, the Employment Development Department, payments sent out to people in jail, people on death Row, people who had died $20 billion we know that that’s already gone. That’s just one part of the welfare state in California,” Hilton said.

Hilton also highlighted spending on homelessness.

“We know that over 20 billion was wasted on homelessness. Who knows where that ended up? I think the probable number in California is up to $100 billion that’s an estimate,” he said.

Hilton concluded by calling for an investigation into the state’s programs.

“What I’m calling for today is a thorough audit of every single part of California’s bloated welfare state to root out the fraud and corruption,” he said.

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‘Whacko Walz’ Panics as Minnesota Braces for ICE Storm, Homan Says ‘Focus is There’
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‘Whacko Walz’ Panics as Minnesota Braces for ICE Storm, Homan Says ‘Focus is There’

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The Trump administration has launched a large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Minnesota’s Twin Cities aimed primarily at Somali nationals with final deportation orders, according to internal documents and an official cited by The New York Times on Tuesday.

The operation will bring roughly 100 federal agents from around the country into Minneapolis and St. Paul as part of what the Times described as an aggressive enforcement surge.

The deployment follows recent White House attention on a taxpayer-fraud case involving members of Minnesota’s Somali community.

ICE “strike teams” will focus largely on individuals with final removal orders while potentially detaining others with unresolved immigration cases.

The Times reported the initiative is part of a broader national push that has included recent actions in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Charlotte.

Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin declined to comment on “future or potential operations” but pushed back on suggestions that the plan targets specific groups.

“What makes someone a target of ICE is not their race or ethnicity, but the fact that they are in the country illegally,” McLaughlin told the Daily Caller.

The Times reported that the directive came as President Donald Trump intensified public statements regarding Somalis in the United States.

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz sharply criticized the operation, characterizing it as a political maneuver rather than a legitimate public-safety effort.

“We welcome support in investigating and prosecuting crime. But pulling a PR stunt and indiscriminately targeting immigrants is not a real solution to a problem,” Walz posted on X.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday referenced a Times investigation into fraud committed by individuals within Minnesota’s Somali diaspora, saying Somalis in Minneapolis had “ripped off American taxpayers.”

The Times noted, however, that while fraud occurred, only a small number of individuals were convicted.

Minneapolis and St. Paul both have policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, though recent federal actions have tested those boundaries.

A June enforcement operation near downtown Minneapolis led to clashes with protesters, and a mid-November Saint Paul raid resulted in 14 arrests, according to the Times.

The Times reported that ICE’s Minnesota operation is beginning this week and will serve as the latest component of President Trump’s broader immigration enforcement strategy, which includes fulfilling his pledge to carry out mass deportations.

Officials cited by the Times said the administration has used large-scale deployments not only to execute removal orders but also to deter unlawful presence by creating a heightened enforcement environment.

According to the documents reviewed by the Times, the Twin Cities surge will proceed despite opposition from local officials.

The operation adds to a growing list of large enforcement actions in major metropolitan areas as the administration moves forward with its national immigration agenda.

Tech Billionaire Funds Trump’s Newborn Savings Plan With Massive Donation
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Tech Billionaire Funds Trump’s Newborn Savings Plan With Massive Donation

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Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, and his wife, Susan, have pledged $6.25 billion to support a new federal savings initiative for children known as “Trump accounts.”

The program was created under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4.

The program provides every child born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028, with a one-time $1,000 government deposit at birth.

Families can open an account once the child receives a Social Security number, and withdrawals are prohibited until the child turns 18.

Parents and relatives may contribute up to $5,000 per year, with the limit subject to potential inflation adjustments after 2027.

In a statement explaining their contribution, the Dells said, “These investment accounts are simple, secure, and structured to grow in value through market returns over time. At age 18, these young Americans can have a financial foundation for continued education, job training, home ownership, or future savings. It’s a simple yet very powerful idea.”

They added that the long-term growth potential of the program was a key factor in their decision to support it.

“Through our charitable funds, we are thrilled to be contributing $6.25 billion to seed 25 million additional accounts with $250 each. These deposits will reach the accounts of most children age 10 and under who were born prior to the qualifying date for the federal newborn contribution,” the couple said.

The announcement comes as President Trump is expected to release additional details about the program on Tuesday.

Treasury projections show that the federally backed “Trump accounts” could grow substantially over time.

According to the Treasury Office of Tax Analysis, a fully funded account left untouched could reach as much as $1.9 million by age 28 through compound growth.

Treasury estimates also show that even under less optimistic scenarios, a fully funded account could reach nearly $600,000 by age 28.

For accounts that receive only the initial $1,000 federal deposit with no additional contributions, projections indicate the savings could grow to between $3,000 and $13,800 over an 18-year period.

The program aims to provide a long-term financial foundation for participating children as they reach adulthood, with the potential to support education, home ownership, job training, or other major life expenses.

Kristi Noem Is Pissed, Makes Game-Changing Recommendation to President Trump
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Kristi Noem Is Pissed, Makes Game-Changing Recommendation to President Trump

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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday recommended that President Donald Trump implement a full travel ban on countries she said were sending dangerous migrants to the United States. The proposal followed a meeting with the president and came days after a deadly attack on two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, D.C.

“I just met with the President,” Noem wrote on X. “I am recommending a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies. Our forefathers built this nation on blood, sweat, and the unyielding love of freedom — not for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes, suck dry our hard-earned tax dollars, or snatch the benefits owed to AMERICANS. WE DON’T WANT THEM. ‘.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told the New York Post that the department would release a list of the countries included in the proposed ban “soon.”

The proposal is the latest move by the Trump administration aimed at restricting foreign entry following the Thanksgiving eve shooting involving two National Guard members assigned to Washington, D.C. as part of federal crime-reduction efforts.

The administration previously announced that it would halt all asylum decisions and conduct a review of more than 720,000 green-card holders from 19 “countries of concern.”

That earlier announcement came after authorities said Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, shot and killed 20-year-old National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom and critically wounded 24-year-old Guardsman Andrew Wolfe near the White House. The incident occurred last week as the two service members were on duty.

The State Department has also paused visa issuance for individuals traveling with Afghan passports in response to the attack.

Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 under the Biden-Harris administration’s Operation Allies Welcome program, which brought Afghan nationals to the U.S. following the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He had previously served in a CIA-backed Afghan military unit that fought against the Taliban, according to officials. He was granted asylum in April, making him eligible to apply for a green card after one year.

Noem addressed the attack last week and tied her recommendation to the administration’s review of immigration and national-security procedures.

“The suspect who shot our brave National Guardsmen is an Afghan national who was one of the many unvetted, mass paroled into the United States under Operation Allies Welcome on September 8, 2021, under the Biden Administration,” Noem said.

“I will not utter this depraved individual’s name. He should be starved of the glory he so desperately wants,” she added.

‘They Nominate Complete and Total Clowns’: Scott Jennings Rips Gavin Newsom 2028 Talk
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‘They Nominate Complete and Total Clowns’: Scott Jennings Rips Gavin Newsom 2028 Talk

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Republican strategist Scott Jennings downplayed Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s prospects as a 2028 presidential contender during a discussion posted Tuesday by the Manhattan Institute.

Jennings’ remarks followed recent polling showing Newsom leading among likely Democratic contenders. A Yahoo/YouGov survey conducted from Aug. 29 to Sept. 2 found that 21% of registered voters who were Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents backed Newsom when asked about potential 2028 candidates.

During the New York event, an audience member asked Jennings where Newsom ranked on his “radar.”

Jennings responded, “Somewhere between Chuckles and Bozo on my clown scale.”

Jennings expanded on his view by saying, “I mean, one of the least serious national people out there, a complete and total clown. And now, their are Democrats, so they oftentimes nominate complete and total clowns. So I guess I shouldn’t discount it totally, but he is so inauthentic … authenticity is really the only thing that matters right now in politics and media. [President Donald] Trump has changed everything. These people who exude inauthenticity fail almost every time. [Former Vice President Kamala] Harris was the most recent example.”

He continued his criticism by addressing how he perceived Newsom’s standing with voters.

“She could not exist in a world that demanded authenticity. I view him that way. And so I don’t see it. I’m not a Democrat, so maybe I can’t see it. But I think that if you want to turn the rest of the country into California, that’s a choice,” Jennings said.

“But I think most Americans wouldn’t regard that as a good choice. And so I don’t personally see it. But I guess we’ll see what they want to do. But I think he is in politics for literally all the wrong reasons. And I think people kind of sense it.”

Newsom has publicly discussed the possibility of entering the 2028 Democratic presidential primary.

In an interview on CBS News’ “Sunday Morning” in October, he said he would decide after the 2026 midterm elections.

That statement followed years of criticism from California voters who have expressed concerns about his policies on issues including crime and homelessness.

Newsom has also encountered disagreement within his own party.

In March, he said on his “This Is Gavin Newsom” podcast that biological men competing in women’s sports is “deeply unfair,” a comment that drew pushback from some Democratic officials and activists.

Polling throughout the year reflected mixed public sentiment about the governor’s national ambitions.

In April, a Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll found that 54% of 6,201 registered voters believed Newsom was “doing things that might benefit him as a possible candidate for president,” while 26% said he was “governing the state and helping to solve its problems.”

In October, an Emerson College poll tested a potential general election matchup between Newsom and Vice President JD Vance.

The survey found 46% support for Vance, 45% backing Newsom, and 10% undecided.

Musk Reveals How He Tricked Government Fraudsters with One Simple Fix
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Musk Reveals How He Tricked Government Fraudsters with One Simple Fix

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Elon Musk described a series of basic financial controls he says would dramatically improve federal accountability, arguing that a small structural change could save between $100 billion and $200 billion a year.

In a detailed explanation, Musk said the approach grew out of what he called “a very interesting side quest” that exposed him to how federal money moves inside government systems.

Musk said many federal payments historically lacked the most elementary identifiers, creating conditions where oversight was not possible.

“There’s been quite a few efficiencies. I mean, some of them are very basic efficiencies, like just adding in requirements for federal payments that that any given payment must have an assigned congressional payment code and a comment field with something in it that’s more than nothing,” he said.

He added that “that trivial, trivial seeming change” likely saves “100 billion dollars, or even $200 billion a year.”

According to Musk, large numbers of federal payments had been sent “with no no congressional payment code and with nothing in the comment field,” a situation he said left auditors without information needed to verify expenditures.

He pointed to the current Department of War, noting that “if they say, like, Why can the Defense Department or now the word Department of War, why can it not pass an audit just because the information is not there? Is not there, it doesn’t have the information necessary to pass an audit does not exist, is the issue?”

Musk said the steps taken through Doge were straightforward measures any responsible institution would normally apply.

“A bunch of things Doge did were just very common sense, things that would be normal for any organization that cared about financial responsibility. That’s, that’s, that’s most of what was done, you know, and still going on, by the way, those are still happening.”

He also described the pushback that followed efforts to stop improper payments.

“It turns out, when you stop fraudulent and wasteful payments, the fraudsters don’t, you know, confess to us, they actually start yelling all sorts of nonsense that you’re stuffing essential payments to need needy people,” Musk said.

He explained that requests often arrived framed as charitable or humanitarian causes, but basic verification exposed inconsistencies.

Musk recounted examples of payment requests claiming to support overseas recipients but listing domestic wire instructions.

“It really be like, this is going to children in Africa. And I’m like, yeah. But then why are the wiring instructions for Deloitte nutrition, Washington, DC? Because that’s not Africa,” he said.

When asked to connect officials with the stated recipients, Musk said the response was “silence.”

He added, “We’re not going to send the money unless we can talk to the recipients and confirm they will actually get it.”

Musk said fraudulent organizations typically rely on emotionally appealing narratives rather than openly stating their intentions.

“Fraudsters necessarily will come up with a very, you know, sympathetic argument. They’re not going to say, give us the money for fraud,” he said.

He pointed to fabricated nonprofit efforts designed to appear legitimate.

“They’re going to start an NGO, and then, yeah, they’re going to see NGOs. It’s gonna be like, the Save the baby pandas, NGO, which of like, who doesn’t want to save the baby pandas? They’re adorable. But then there’s no, it turns out no pandas are being saved.”

Musk said that when asked to verify the activity of such groups, the organizations could not produce evidence.

“Can you send us a picture of the panda? Like, no. Okay. How do we know it’s going through the fantasy, that’s all I’m saying.”

WATCH:

Another Afghan National Biden Let In Arrested Over ‘Terror Plot’ in Texas
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Another Afghan National Biden Let In Arrested Over ‘Terror Plot’ in Texas

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The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that an Afghan national arrested in Texas on Tuesday for an alleged bomb threat entered the United States through the Biden-Harris administration’s Operation Allies Welcome program.

The arrest took place one day before an attack in Washington, D.C. that involved another Afghan national who entered under the same program.

Texas Department of Public Safety officers arrested Mohammad Dawood Alokozay after he posted a TikTok video in which he claimed he was building a bomb, according to Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin.

In a Saturday post on X, McLaughlin said Alokozay made threats against the Fort Worth area.

“Just one day before the Terrorist attack against our @NationalGuard, another Afghan national who was paroled into the United States under Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome was arrested for threatening to blow up a building in Fort Worth,” McLaughlin posted.

“Mohammad Dawood Alokozay posted a video of himself on TikTok indicating he was building a bomb with an intended target of the Fort Worth area,” McLaughlin continued.

“He was arrested on Tuesday by the Texas Department of Public Safety and FBI JTTF and charged with making Terroristic Threats. @ICEgov has lodged a detainer.”

Authorities said Alokozay was taken into custody by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Federal officials stated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a detainer on him.

Both Alokozay and Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect accused of carrying out the Washington, D.C. shooting that killed West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and critically wounded West Virginia Air National Guard Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, arrived in the United States through Operation Allies Welcome.

The program was launched after the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The shooting in Washington occurred near the White House.

Beckstrom and Wolfe, members of the West Virginia National Guard and West Virginia Air National Guard, were on duty when they were attacked.

Federal officials said both Guardsmen were deputized Thursday by the United States Marshals Service under CFR Title 28.

The designation allows personnel to act as deputy U.S. Marshals for a limited period of time.

President Donald Trump ordered National Guard deployments to Washington after his August 11 announcement of a federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department.

The announcement followed an attempted carjacking that left Department of Government Efficiency staffer Edward Coristine injured.

Federal authorities have maintained that the deployment is part of broader efforts to stabilize conditions in the capital and support ongoing public safety operations.

The investigation into both incidents remains ongoing. Federal agencies have not released further details regarding any connection between the Fort Worth bomb threat and the Washington shooting.

Authorities continue to review the circumstances surrounding the suspects’ entry into the United States through Operation Allies Welcome.

‘Shut the F*ck Up’: White House Comms Director Puts Liberal Reporter in Her Place
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‘Shut the F*ck Up’: White House Comms Director Puts Liberal Reporter in Her Place

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The Trump White House responded forcefully after a reporter attempted to link President Trump to the shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, DC. The exchange unfolded after a violent attack carried out by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the United States in September 2021 following Joe Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal.

Officials confirmed that he overstayed his visa and was in the country illegally at the time of the shooting.

Lakanwal ambushed two members of the West Virginia National Guard on Wednesday, shooting them at close range in Washington, DC.

Both service members had been deployed to bolster safety measures in the nation’s capital.

Authorities later revealed that Lakanwal previously worked with the CIA as part of a partner force in Kandahar, Afghanistan, before entering the United States during the 2021 evacuation period.

 

The two guardsmen were identified as Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe.

Beckstrom died from her injuries, while Wolfe remains in critical condition.

The attack prompted widespread concern about how Lakanwal entered and remained in the country, but a public debate broke out after a journalist attempted to assign responsibility to President Trump rather than the attacker.

Jane Mayer, a staff writer at The New Yorker, publicly criticized the deployment of National Guard members to Washington, DC.

Her comments appeared on X, where she wrote that the guardsmen “should never have been deployed.”

Mayer said, “This is so tragic, so unnecessary, these poor guardsmen should never have been deployed. I live in DC and watched as they had virtually nothing to do but pick up trash. It was for political show and at what a cost.”

Her post suggested the deployment, rather than the attacker, was the central issue surrounding the incident.

The comments drew an immediate and forceful reply from Steven Cheung, President Trump’s White House Communications Director.

Cheung challenged the attempt to politicize the attack and defended the decision to assign National Guard members to the area.

He wrote, “Jane, respectfully, shut the f**k up for trying to politicize this tragedy. They were protecting DC and trying to make the nation’s capital safer. People like you who engage in ghoulish behavior lose all credibility. Not like you had any to begin with.”

The shooting took place after a year marked by national security concerns stemming from individuals who arrived in the United States during and after the Biden-Harris administration’s Afghanistan withdrawal.

According to information released about Lakanwal, he overstayed his temporary status and remained inside the country unlawfully until the day of the attack.

Authorities have not released additional details about his movements within the United States before the shooting, but the confirmation of his unlawful presence became a focal point in statements following the incident.

The deaths and injuries of the West Virginia National Guard members led to renewed scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding Lakanwal’s arrival in September 2021.

At the time, thousands of Afghan nationals were brought into the United States under emergency conditions. Lakanwal’s connection to a CIA partner force in Kandahar was also confirmed as part of the information released about his background.

Beckstrom’s death and Wolfe’s critical injuries prompted an outpouring of support for the families of both service members.

Their deployment to the nation’s capital was part of broader security efforts ordered under President Trump.

The circumstances of the attack brought renewed attention to those security measures and the responsibilities assigned to National Guard personnel stationed in Washington.

Cheung’s response to Mayer highlighted the broader disagreement over how the events should be interpreted.

While Mayer focused on the decision to deploy the Guard, Cheung rejected the idea that the deployment itself had any connection to the attack, pointing instead to the actions of the attacker and the conditions allowing him to remain in the United States.


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