A House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Thursday escalated sharply after Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi referred to last month’s deadly shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., as an “unfortunate accident.”
Thompson made the remark while questioning Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a session focused on national security threats.
Noem appeared before the committee alongside National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent and Michael Glasheen, operations director for the FBI’s National Security Branch. During Thompson’s questioning, he referenced what he called the “unfortunate accident that occurred with the National Guardsmen,” referring to the Nov. 26 shooting in which 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal shot National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24.
Beckstrom died from her injuries, and Wolfe was critically wounded.
“You think that was an unfortunate accident?” Noem responded.
“It was a terrorist attack. He shot our National Guardsmen in the head.”
Thompson then stated that he would “get it straight” and referred to the shooting as an “unfortunate situation.”
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He shifted his line of questioning toward the approval of Lakanwal’s asylum application and asked Noem who had authorized it.
Before she answered, Thompson attempted to redirect the discussion, but Noem later stated that the asylum claim had been approved based on information provided by the Biden-Harris administration.
Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Thompson continued pressing the issue, leading him to seek comments from Kent.
Kent responded, “The individual was vetted to serve as a soldier in Afghanistan, and that vetting standard was used by the Biden administration as a ruse to bring him here. Had we followed the Standard Operating Procedures for special immigrant visas, that individual and none of the (others) … would have come to America. That’s on Joe Biden.”
When Thompson asked Kent to “just answer” the question, Kent replied, “That was the answer.”
Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee raised a point of order following Thompson’s remarks.
“Point of order, Mr. Chairman, that was a murder that took place in D.C., it was not an ‘unfortunate incident,’” Ogles said.
“And those comments are effin disrespectful.”
🚨VILE: Dem Rep. Bennie Thompson just referred to the terrorist attack against two National Guardsmen in DC as an “unfortunate accident.”
Noem: “You think that was an ‘unfortunate accident’!? He shot our National Guardsmen in the head.” pic.twitter.com/d8Bpt2xN4J
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) December 11, 2025
His microphone was cut off shortly afterward.
Thompson continued his questioning by asking Kent about broader national security concerns.
Kent said there were an estimated 18,000 “known and suspected terrorists” encountered in recent years.
“That’s just what we know of,” Kent added, stating that unknown entries presented an additional concern.
“The No. 1 threat that we have right now, in my view, is the fact that we don’t know who came into our country in the last four years of Biden’s open borders.”
Kent added, “Yet the Biden administration … let them into the country and, in many cases, facilitated their entry.”
🚨 HOLY CRAP! NCTC Director Joe Kent reveals JAW-DROPPING amount of terrorists let into America
“18,000 known and suspected terrorists the Biden administration let come into our country.” 🤯
There’s no other way to put it.
Treason.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 11, 2025
The hearing continued with further questions directed at Noem, Kent, and Glasheen regarding immigration enforcement, national security vetting procedures, and broader homeland security risks.
The exchange over Thompson’s characterization of the attack drew continued reactions from committee members as the session proceeded.
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