Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., has long played a key role for many on the left. If there is an argument that is excluded by decency or decorum, Wasserman Schultz is happy to make it attack journalists in her defense of censorship attempt to manipulate elections And Excluding Republicans from ballots as part of its defense of democracy. On Friday, however, Florida’s representative set a new low in American politics: He tried to pin some of the blame for the shooting of two National Guardsmen on President Donald Trump.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) speaks during a press conference about new legislation supporting Holocaust education nationwide at the U.S. Capitol on January 27, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
On CNN’s “News Central” Wasserman Schultz stated:
“This is a very troubling situation, but you know, I think that’s what we have to do – it begs the question: Could someone have flown across the country to attack law enforcement officials in Washington, D.C.? And I mean, the answer is probably no. So why wasn’t the president’s first thought, ‘Wow, you know, maybe I should reconsider deploying military forces in the nation’s capital or in any city?’ Especially when they haven’t worked closely with the leadership of these cities and when we have law enforcement that is very capable of addressing the criminal justice issues that we need to focus on, not our military.”
There is a good-faith debate going on about the deployment of National Guard personnel in cities. However, the mayor of Washington, D.C., has worked with the administration on this effort, and crime has dropped in the Capitol. They have consulted with the city.
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Nevertheless, Wasserman Schultz continued to insist:
“I just think the president is looking everywhere but inward to blame his own policies. We must ensure that our military is not deployed in our cities and handles law enforcement responsibilities. And we need to make sure we address gun violence. We certainly need to ensure that we always have the right and appropriate and tight, tight control processes in place, and those need to be reviewed. But it is never the fault of the president or his policies when it comes to his response, and it is quite disgusting.”
File photo of National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, who was injured in a shooting incident in Washington, DC, on the evening of November 26, 2025. (Provided by the Ministry of Justice)
DC has some of the strongest gun control measures in the country. Furthermore, this is a crime committed with a gun brought from another area with strong gun control: Washington State.
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Wasserman Schultz also assumes that it was the effort that motivated the shooter. Rahmanullah Lakanwala 29-year-old Afghan national. Lakanwal entered the US on September 8, 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a program initiated by former Democratic President Joe Biden following the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
The father of slain Guardsman Staff Sgt. Darin “Taylor” Hoover blamed the “weak Biden administration” for his daughter’s death on the day of Wasserman Schultz’s statement.
Wasserman Schultz, however, does not blame former President Biden for Lakanwal’s presence in the United States. (Lakanwal, a former member of a CIA unit in Afghanistan, was reportedly who was granted asylum under the Trump administration in April).
Investigators are still trying to determine Lakanwal’s motive for killing one soldier and seriously injuring another. Wasserman Schultz, however, feels completely comfortable suggesting that it involved the deployment of the Guard in cities, despite democratic objections. Of course, a few other possibilities come to mind. First, it could be an act of religious terrorism. Second, it can be an act of mental illness. Third, it could be a personal complaint against the US government.
Undated file photo of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington, DC, November 26, 2025. (Provided by the Ministry of Justice)
Killing soldiers in the nation’s Capitol may be attractive because of all or a combination of these motivations. It is not self-evident that someone travels through the country, because here you will find staff on the street. After all, troops have also been deployed in other states closer to Washington state. There are also large bases in Washington State where military personnel are present in large numbers in public areas.
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A shooter with either of these motivations might see the location as reinforcing his grievances against the government. Wasserman Schultz appears to be suggesting that Trump is responsible for making targets for troops due to the controversial use of the Guard and providing targets for a terrorist.
The most important point for Wasserman Schultz is known: Trump did it.
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Still, blaming the deployment is like blaming Republican members for the 2017 mass shooting on the softball field. After all, if they hadn’t made themselves a target, James T. Hodgkinson wouldn’t have gone there. Hodgkinson, a former Bernie Sanders supporter, hated Republicans and is said to have found another rally to carry out his murderous plan. Likewise, Lakanwal may have been hunting for soldiers as a symbol of the United States in the Capitol.
File photo of National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe who was injured in a shooting incident in Washington, DC, on the evening of November 26, 2025. (Provided by the Ministry of Justice)
The point is, we don’t know. The attempt to use this tragedy for political purposes is intended to dishonor the victims and take advantage of their deaths. Few would feel comfortable getting into the head of a murderous madman without any evidence or support. However, that seems to be a unique skill set for Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
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