Slotkin goes silent when pressed on past Trump guard ‘shooting’ claims after DC attack
Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan recently found herself in the spotlight for her previous comments regarding the potential for military intervention against civilians during the Trump administration. Slotkin, along with several other Democratic lawmakers, had voiced concerns about then-President Donald Trump’s alleged suggestion to former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper about deploying the military to quell protests, even going so far as to imply that troops could “shoot at their legs.” These remarks were made during a January committee hearing where Slotkin highlighted the dangers of militarized responses to civil unrest, particularly in the wake of the nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd in 2020. Esper later confirmed these quotes in his memoir, “A Sacred Oath,” which criticized the administration’s handling of such sensitive matters. Despite Slotkin’s past warnings, she remained silent when approached for comments after a recent shooting incident involving National Guard members, which has raised questions about the implications of her earlier statements.
The shooting, which occurred on Wednesday, left one National Guard member dead and another in critical condition, prompting renewed scrutiny of military engagement in domestic affairs. The alleged shooter, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national and former member of a counterterrorism team, is currently in custody facing first-degree murder charges. The FBI is treating the incident as a targeted act of terrorism, although the shooter’s motives remain unclear. This tragic event has shifted the narrative from concerns about military orders to the immediate safety of service members, highlighting the complexities and dangers associated with the militarization of domestic law enforcement. Slotkin and her colleagues had previously released a video urging military personnel to disregard illegal orders, emphasizing the importance of constitutional adherence. However, with the recent violence, the focus has now turned to the realities of military engagement in the U.S. and the implications of violent acts against those who serve.
As the nation grapples with these events, Slotkin’s silence raises questions about the evolving discourse on military involvement in civil matters and the broader implications for public safety. Lawmakers are now faced with the challenge of addressing both the threats posed by potential military overreach and the real dangers that service members face in the line of duty. The juxtaposition of Slotkin’s previous warnings against Trump’s administration and the current reality of violence against National Guard members underscores the need for a nuanced discussion about the role of military forces in domestic situations and the protection of both civilians and service members alike.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., remained silent Friday when asked about previous statements she made suggesting that government officials should be prepared to push back on President
Donald Trump
if he ordered the military to fire on civilians.
Slotkin and other Democrats now face a reversal of those worries as the country reels from
a shooting
Wednesday that left one National Guard member dead and another in critical condition in Washington.
Her office did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
VIRGINIA DEM SAYS TRUMP ADMIN HAS ‘TAKEN ITS EYE OFF THE BALL’ ON PUBLIC SAFETY AMID NATIONAL GUARD SHOOTING
Slotkin’s alarm about the National Guard and other federal troops originally stemmed from comments Trump allegedly made to former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper during Trump’s first term.
“The president in the last administration asked then-secretary (Mark) Esper to send in the 82 Airborne into Washington, D.C. to try to quell peaceful protests here in the city. And he said, if necessary, can’t you just ‘shoot at their legs?’” Slotkin said
during a January committee hearing.
Esper recorded those quotes as part of the administration’s considerations of how to respond to protests over the death of George Floyd. Floyd’s 2020 killing by a Minneapolis police officer sparked nationwide protests and ignited the Black Lives Matter movement.
The quotes were included in Esper’s book, “A Sacred Oath,” a highly critical memoir of the first Trump administration.
Trump
has denied
ever making the statement.
FORMER ARMY CAPTAIN WARNS DEMS’ ‘UNPATRIOTIC’ VIDEO TELLING TROOPS TO DEFY ORDERS COULD SPARK CHAOS
The statements Trump allegedly made to Esper — and other questions about Trump’s use of federal troops — prompted Slotkin and six other Democrat lawmakers to release a video earlier in November, calling for service members to “not give up the ship.” In it, they urged members of the military and intelligence community to disregard illegal orders.
“The threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad but from right here at home,” the lawmakers said in the video. “Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.”
When asked what they meant by illegal acts, several lawmakers pointed to Trump’s comments about shooting protesters in the legs, an act that they said would
go against
the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Besides Slotkin, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.; Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo.; Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa.; Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.; and Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., also appeared in the video.
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR ‘NOT AWARE’ IF TRUMP GAVE ANY ILLEGAL MILITARY ORDERS AMID VIDEO CONTROVERSY
Wednesday’s shooter’s motives remain unclear.
The FBI has identified him as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a former member of a counterterrorism team in Afghanistan. He is in custody and faces first-degree murder charges.
The bureau has described his attack as targeted and is investigating it as an act of terrorism.
Eric
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