Slotkin goes silent when pressed on past Trump guard ‘shooting’ claims after DC attack
In a complex and evolving political landscape, Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan, has found herself at the center of renewed scrutiny following a tragic shooting incident involving National Guard members in Washington, D.C. On Wednesday, a shooting left one Guard member dead and another in critical condition, prompting a wave of questions about the safety and conduct of military personnel in the wake of heightened tensions surrounding national security. Slotkin, who previously expressed concerns about President Donald Trump potentially ordering military force against civilians, has remained silent when asked to comment on her earlier statements in light of this incident.
Slotkin’s alarm regarding the military’s role in domestic affairs stems from comments made by Trump during his presidency, where he allegedly suggested to then-Secretary of Defense Mark Esper that federal troops could be deployed to quell protests and even suggested the use of force against demonstrators. These claims were recorded by Esper in his memoir, “A Sacred Oath,” where he criticizes the Trump administration’s approach to handling civil unrest following the death of George Floyd in 2020. Slotkin and several other Democratic lawmakers had previously released a video urging military and intelligence personnel to disregard illegal orders, emphasizing that threats to the Constitution can arise from within the government itself. Their stance was a direct response to Trump’s controversial remarks, which they argued violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
In the wake of the recent shooting, the situation has taken a troubling turn. The shooter, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a former member of an Afghan counterterrorism team, is facing first-degree murder charges, and authorities are investigating the incident as a potential act of terrorism. The motives behind Lakanwal’s actions remain unclear, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the safety of military personnel and the implications of political rhetoric on public safety. As Slotkin navigates the fallout from this tragic event, her previous warnings about the potential misuse of military force resonate more profoundly, highlighting the delicate balance between national security and the protection of civil liberties.
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.
