A press conference took a heated turn as the former president engaged in a sharp exchange with a journalist over the vetting of an individual implicated in a recent attack in Washington, D.C.
The confrontation occurred when a reporter cited official reports indicating the Afghan suspect had undergone and passed thorough security screenings by U.S. agencies before his arrival in the country. The journalist pressed on why previous administration policies were being blamed for the suspect’s subsequent actions.
The response was dismissive and personal. The former president asserted that the individual entered the country without proper checks, alongside many others who, in his view, should not have been admitted. He described the process as “disgraceful” and a “mess,” arguing that existing laws make it difficult to remove individuals after they arrive.
When the reporter reiterated the point about completed vetting, the retort escalated to include personal insults, questioning the journalist’s intelligence. The former president maintained his position that the suspect was “unvetted” and linked the issue to a broader critique of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which he characterized as poorly executed.
The exchange concluded with the former president offering condolences, confirming the death of one National Guard member injured in the shooting and noting another remains in critical condition.
This incident marks the latest in a series of tense interactions between the former president and members of the press corps.
