President-elect Donald Trump has blamed Democrats for the alleged “breaking down” of the country, which he linked to the deadly attack in New Orleans on January 1.
“This is what happens when you have OPEN BORDERS, with weak, ineffective, and virtually nonexistent leadership,” he wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. “The USA is breaking down—A violent erosion of Safety, National Security, and Democracy is taking place all across our Nation.”
Newsweek contacted Trump’s transition team for comment by email on Thursday morning, outside of standard working hours.
Why It Matters
The attack on New Year’s Day in New Orleans is the deadliest act of mass murder in the country in more than a year. At least 15 people were killed and many more injured when a 42-year-old Army veteran from Texas rammed a pick up truck into people crowding Bourbon Street.
It’s a grim way for the U.S. to start the year, after a Tesla Cybertruck detonated in a Las Vegas street on the same day—and it’s likely to add pressure on Trump to act fast to fix the country’s problems once he takes office on January 20. He’s expected to enact policies to curb immigration to the U.S., even though the issue has little to do with the attack in Louisiana.
The president-elect initially suggested that the suspect, who’s been identified by the FBI as Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, was an immigrant, while officials later said he was a U.S.-born citizen. Despite this clarification, Trump’s statements suggest he’s still set on cracking down on immigration, as he promised in his 2024 presidential campaign.
On the campaign trail, Trump promised to enact the largest deportation effort in American history and restrict the border flow of immigrants to the U.S.
What To Know
The suspect in the New Orleans attack died while exchanging fire with the police, according to officials. Despite initial anger over rumors that he was an immigrant, it was revealed that he was a lifelong resident of Texas who served in the U.S. Army for several years and was honorably discharged.
While the attack is still being investigated, details revealed by officials are chilling. Jabbar, President Joe Biden said in a short address from Camp David on Wednesday, was “inspired by” the Islamic State. Investigators briefing the president on the attack said that the suspect shared several videos on social media the night before the attack where he indicated a “desire to kill,” Biden said, and pledged allegiance to ISIS.
While potential ties with ISIS are still being investigated, the FBI said that Jabbar had an ISIS flag in his truck, together with several potential improvised explosive devices.
What People Are Saying
Donald Trump, former president and president-elect, on Truth Social: “Our Country is a disaster, a laughing stock all over the World! This is what happens when you have OPEN BORDERS, with weak, ineffective, and virtually nonexistent leadership.
“The DOJ, FBI, and Democrat state and local prosecutors have not done their job. They are incompetent and corrupt, having spent all of their waking hours unlawfully attacking their political opponent, ME, rather than focusing on protecting Americans from the outside and inside violent SCUM that has infiltrated all aspects of our government, and our Nation itself.
“Democrats should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen to our Country. The CIA must get involved, NOW, before it is too late. The USA is breaking down—A violent erosion of Safety, National Security, and Democracy is taking place all across our Nation. Only strength and powerful leadership will stop it. See you on January 20th. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
President Joe Biden said in a written statement: “The FBI is taking the lead in the investigation and is investigating this incident as an act of terrorism. I am grateful for the brave and swift response of local law enforcement in preventing even greater death and injury.
“I have directed my team to ensure every resource is available as federal, state, and local law enforcement work assiduously to get to the bottom of what happened as quickly as possible and to ensure that there is no remaining threat of any kind.”
What’s Next
Trump has described the attack in New Orleans as an “act of pure evil” in a post on Truth Social, saying his administration will “fully support” the City of New Orleans in its investigation and recovery from the attack.
Investigators are looking into whether anyone else was involved in the attack. Turo, the rental site through which Jabbar got the pick up truck he drove into the crowd in New Orleans, told CNN it was partnering with law enforcement authorities in investigating the incident. The company said it does “not believe that either renter involved in the Las Vegas and New Orleans attacks had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat.”
Turo was also used to rent the Cybertruck which exploded on the same day in Nevada.
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