A tense exchange unfolded during a recent press briefing when a former U.S. president strongly rebuked a journalist questioning the security vetting of a suspect in a Washington, D.C. shooting.
The incident occurred when a reporter cited official reports indicating the Afghan national accused of wounding two National Guardsmen had undergone and passed thorough background checks by U.S. authorities before entering the country. The former leader dismissed these assertions.
“He lost his mind. It happens,” the former president stated, arguing that the individual and others arrived without proper screening. “They entered unchecked, and we have many more here. We will remove them.”
When the journalist countered by referencing a recent Department of Justice inspector general report affirming the vetting process, the response was heated. “Are you a foolish person?” the former president retorted. “They were allowed in. They arrived by plane with thousands who should not be here.”
The former president further contended that subsequent legislation has made removing such individuals nearly impossible and broadly criticized the previous administration’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, calling it “a mess” and suggesting an alternative approach would have been executed with “strength and dignity.”
The briefing also served as the setting where the death of National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was confirmed following the attack. A second Guardsman, Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains hospitalized in critical condition.
This confrontation follows a pattern of contentious interactions with the press from the former president, who has previously used derogatory language toward journalists.
