Attorney General Pam Bondi went on Fox News Sunday and spoke plainly about the horrific ambush on two National Guard troops in downtown Washington, D.C., promising blunt action: “We’re catching these people,” she declared, vowing that the Justice Department and law enforcement will not stand down while American service members are targeted on our streets. Her remarks made clear that this administration must be held accountable for keeping communities and the capital safe, and that prosecutors will be expected to act with the full force of the law.
The shooting itself was chilling in its brazenness — an apparent ambush near Farragut Square that left one guardsman dead and another gravely wounded after a suspect opened fire in broad daylight, only to be taken into custody amid chaotic street scenes. Law enforcement described the attack as targeted and are treating it as an assault on federal personnel, underscoring how dangerous our cities have become when brave troops and officers can be gunned down while performing routine patrols.
Already reports name the suspect as an Afghan national who arrived in the United States under post-2021 resettlement programs, fueling justified outrage and hard questions about the “minimal to little” vetting that has been repeatedly flagged by conservative leaders. This isn’t about xenophobia; it’s about commonsense screening and making sure anyone brought to our country under government programs is properly checked before being released into communities, especially when the potential national-security risks are so obvious.
At the same time, Congress is rightly asking tough questions about the administration’s use of force abroad after explosive reporting about alleged follow-up strikes on survivors from suspected drug-smuggling boats — a story that has prompted bipartisan calls for oversight even as defenders of the missions push back. The Defense Department and administration allies have pushed back hard, with denials over who authorized certain orders, but Americans deserve transparency: we must support decisive action against narco-terrorists while insisting any lethal operations meet the rule of law and clear legal authority.
Patriots know we can both empower our military and law enforcement and demand accountability from those in power who fail to secure our borders or explain the legal basis for risky operations. If Democrats in Congress want oversight, fine — but let it be real oversight that strengthens the rule of law and backs our troops instead of weaponizing tragedies for political points. The message from Bondi and from concerned citizens is simple: stop coddling criminals, secure the border, support our service members, and get about the business of protecting American lives.
