Noem Slams House Democrat for Downplaying D.C. Terrorist Attack as ‘Unfortunate Accident’
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem clashed with Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) on Thursday after the Democrat described last month’s terrorist attack in Washington, D.C. as an “unfortunate accident” during a tense hearing on Capitol Hill.
Thompson, the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, made the remark during questioning of Noem at a hearing focused on global threats to the United States. His phrasing immediately drew a sharp rebuke from the secretary.
“You think that was an unfortunate accident? It was a terrorist attack,” Noem fired back before Thompson attempted to clarify his comment.
“I mean, wait, wait, look, I’ll get it straight, then you can respond,” Thompson said, as Noem continued: “He shot our National Guardsman in the head.”
Thompson later walked back his initial comment, calling it an “unfortunate situation” instead.
? Rep. Bennie Thompson refers to the terrorist attack against two National Guardsmen in DC as an “unfortunate accident.”
Sec. Noem: “Unfortunate accident? It was a terroist attack. They shot our Guardsmen in the head.” pic.twitter.com/34YtPrVteF
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) December 11, 2025
The confrontation centered around the brutal shooting last month of two U.S. National Guard soldiers in D.C. by an Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, who entered the country in 2021 under President Joe Biden’s “Operation Allies Welcome” program.
Lakanwal allegedly opened fire on the soldiers as they patrolled the streets as part of the Trump administration’s expanded domestic security operations. One of the victims, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, of the West Virginia National Guard, died the next day. Her colleague, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, also from West Virginia, is still recovering from his injuries.
According to court filings, Lakanwal shouted “Allahu akbar!” during the attack.
Noem has become one of the most vocal members of the Trump administration warning about the national security consequences of Biden-era immigration policies, particularly the vetting failures tied to Afghan resettlement efforts.
The heated exchange between Noem and Thompson underscores a growing partisan rift over how to classify and respond to domestic threats tied to foreign nationals. House Republicans have said they intend to hold further hearings into how Lakanwal was allowed into the country and what steps were taken — or not taken — to identify his ties to extremist ideology.