U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro gave an update on the investigation into Cole Tomas Allen — who opened fire one week earlier at the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner — and said that it was clear the would-be assassin had an inflated sense of his own capabilities.
Pirro, the U.S. Attorney assigned to Washington, D.C., spoke with CNN&#8217;s Jake Tapper about the ongoing investigation in Allen&#8217;s actions and motives — and she described the shooter&#8217;s actions leading up to the moment he charged a security checkpoint manned by the United States Secret Service.
Tapper began by asking Pirro — who was in attendance at the dinner herself — whether the fact that she could have been a potential target meant that she should recuse herself from the case entirely. Pirro was adamant that the two things were unconnected.
&#8220;Absolutely not. I mean, there is no way &#8230; my ability to prosecute this case has nothing to do with my being there,&#8221; she said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
TAPPER: &#8220;Has it been suggested to you, at any point, by anyone that maybe you need to recuse yourself because you were both a witness and a potential target?&#8221; 
JEANINE PIRRO: &#8220;Absolutely not. I mean, there is no way&#8230; my ability to prosecute this case has nothing to do with my… <a href="https://t.co/clLO5SJ9DA">pic.twitter.com/clLO5SJ9DA</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2050932287219359922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Pirro went on to address Allen&#8217;s behavior and actions leading up to the assassination attempt, much of which was either recovered from his personal effects or captured by security cameras at the Washington Hilton.
&#8220;Clearly, the president is a target. And make no mistake, it is not just the manifesto. It is his actions,&#8221; Pirro said of the suspect, who referred to himself as the &#8220;Friendly Federal Assassin&#8221; throughout the manifesto he sent to family. &#8220;I mean, this guy thought he was Rambo.&#8221;
&#8220;And he takes a picture of himself. He is smug, he is proud, and he is focused on what he’s doing,&#8221; Pirro added.
&#8220;I think if you read the manifesto … it is very clear who the intended target is. It is very clear, based upon the fact that as soon as this president said that he was going to be at the Hilton for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on March 2nd, [Allen] then made the decision to hatch the plan,&#8221; Pirro told Tapper, adding, &#8220;I can tell you, we will be able to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt.&#8221;
She went on to say that the defense might have a difficult time if they opted to go for an affirmative defense and claim that Allen was insane: &#8220;The one issue that people might think about is, is he insane. He is far from insane. He is brilliant. He has a master’s degree. He work[ed] at a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro on case against alleged press dinner gunman: &#8220;We have a lot of evidence that indicates his intent&#8230; whether it was, you know, following what the president was doing, where he was going, to the day of the of the event at the hotel. Tracking on his phone:… <a href="https://t.co/J9NtXGI3HU">pic.twitter.com/J9NtXGI3HU</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2050937470800343261?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Win McNamee/Getty Images, CBS Photo Archive

Why Jeanine Pirro Says Would-Be Trump Assassin ‘Thought He Was Rambo’

Jeanine Pirro: DC Shooting Suspect 'Thought He Was Rambo'

Jake Tapper

Jeanine Pirro

Media

Politics

Shooting

The man arrested and charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump last weekend took a selfie in his hotel room and monitored updates on Trump&#8217;s travel to the Washington Hilton.
Just minutes before charging through a security checkpoint — armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives — Allen was watching Trump&#8217;s movements and arming himself for the occasion, according to documents filed by the Justice Department on Wednesday.
The court <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/28083136/allen.pdf">documents</a> include a photo that 31-year-old Cole Allen took of himself in his Washington Hilton hotel room, showing how he&#8217;d armed himself for his planned attack on the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner. The documents were submitted by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, as the Justice Department submitted requests to a judge to keep Allen behind bars as he awaits trial.
<div id="attachment_1086249" style="width: 1022px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1086249" class="wp-image-1086249 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T094114.136-1012x576.jpg" alt="" width="1012" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T094114.136-1012x576.jpg 1012w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T094114.136-300x171.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T094114.136-768x437.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T094114.136.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 1012px) 100vw, 1012px" />Credit: DOJ</div>
The items numbered by prosecutors in the photo are believed to be an ammunition bag (item 1), shoulder holster (item 2), sheathed knife (item 3), and pliers and wire cutters (item 4). Authorities recovered an ammunition bag, knife, and pliers and wire cutters that are consistent with the items seen in the photo, according to prosecutors.
As he prepared for the attack in his hotel room, Allen monitored Trump&#8217;s movements on multiple websites, including Civic Tracker&#8217;s &#8220;Presidential Schedule&#8221; page, according to the Justice Department. At 8:27 p.m. Saturday, just a few minutes before leaving his room, Allen visited a media company&#8217;s website to view a video titled, &#8220;WATCH LIVE: President Trump, first lady en route to White House Correspondents’ Dinner,&#8221; the court documents state. On another website, Allen watched live media coverage of Trump getting out of his vehicle after arriving at the hotel for the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner, the documents add.
After leaving his hotel room around 8:30 p.m., Allen made his way toward the event. As he approached a security checkpoint, Allen threw off a long black coat he was wearing that concealed his shotgun and then charged through the security checkpoint and headed in the direction of a staircase leading to the ballroom where the dinner was being held.
&#8220;As the defendant did so, he held a shotgun in both hands in a raised position parallel to the ground. A USSS officer observed the defendant fire the shotgun in the direction of the stairs leading down to the ballroom,&#8221; The Justice Department states. &#8220;USSS officer and others at the checkpoint heard the gunshot. The USSS officer drew his service weapon and fired five times at the defendant. The defendant fell to the ground, was restrained by law enforcement, and was placed under arrest.&#8221;
Allen was not hit by any of the gunfire, but he suffered a minor knee injury, according to the court documents. Federal prosecutors did not say that Allen&#8217;s shot struck anyone. The Secret Service agent who was hit was protected by a bulletproof vest.
The Mossberg 12-gauge pump-action shotgun recovered by authorities after the attack contained &#8220;one spent cartridge in the barrel and eight unfired cartridges in the magazine tube,&#8221; according to prosecutors.
&#8220;An additional six unfired cartridges were attached with Velcro to the shotgun in a detachable ammunition carrier, and the defendant possessed another ten unfired cartridges in a small leather bag,&#8221; the court documents state.
Authorities also recovered a Rock Island Armory 1911 .38 caliber pistol, which was loaded with ten rounds of ammunition, and two additional handgun magazines loaded with nine rounds each.
<div id="attachment_1086279" style="width: 659px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1086279" class="wp-image-1086279 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T100517.199-649x576.jpg" alt="" width="649" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T100517.199-649x576.jpg 649w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T100517.199-300x266.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T100517.199-768x681.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T100517.199.jpg 770w" sizes=" (max-width: 649px) 100vw, 649px" />Credit: DOJ</div>
<div id="attachment_1086285" style="width: 574px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1086285" class="wp-image-1086285 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T100644.724-564x576.jpg" alt="" width="564" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T100644.724-564x576.jpg 564w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T100644.724-294x300.jpg 294w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-29T100644.724.jpg 669w" sizes=" (max-width: 564px) 100vw, 564px" />Credit: DOJ</div>
The Justice Department argues that Allen, a California native, traveled across the country with the intention to assassinate President Trump, adding, &#8220;Had the defendant achieved his intended outcome, he would have brought about one of the darkest days in American history.&#8221; In their request for Allen to be held behind bars, prosecutors also pointed to his manifesto, in which he stated that he was willing to kill anyone at the dinner who stood in the way of his objective to murder top administration officials.
Allen is charged with attempting to assassinate the president of the United States, transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. If convicted, he faces life in prison.

Cole Allen / Donald Trump

Chilling Hotel Selfie Shows Suspect Minutes Before He Attempted To Murder Trump

assassination attempt

Department of Justice

Donald Trump

The Trump administration has dropped its criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, which will pave the way for Trump’s nominee Kevin Warsh to be confirmed as Powell’s successor.
The investigation centered on the cost of renovations at the Washington, D.C., offices of the Federal Reserve, and whether Powell lied to Congress about it. The project was expected to cost about $1.9 billion, but the number ended up closer to $2.5 billion, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-12/why-the-federal-reserve-s-renovation-costs-2-5-billion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg</a>.
“This morning the Inspector General for the Federal Reserve has been asked to scrutinize the building costs overruns – in the billions of dollars – that have been borne by taxpayers,” Jeanine Pirro, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, said in a statement posted to X on Friday morning.
She added that the inspector general is being asked to provide a report “in short order” to ensure that it will answering “the questions that led this office to issue subpoenas.”
“Accordingly, I have directed my office to close our investigation as the IG undertakes this inquiry. Note well, however, that I will not hesitate to restart a criminal investigation should the facts warrant doing so,” she continued.
Critics of the investigation said that it risked the independence of the Federal Reserve—as Trump has been a staunch critic of Powell over interest rates. The president has repeatedly demanded the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates much more aggressively.
The decision to end the probe could satisfy an ultimatum from Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), a Trump critic, to move Warsh’s nomination out of the Senate Banking Committee.
“You have extraordinary credentials. They’re impeccable,” Tillis said at a committee hearing with Warsh earlier this week, according to <a href="https://thehill.com/business/5841124-tillis-doj-powell-probe-kevin-warsh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hill</a>.
Tillis bluntly stated over X that Warsh “is a great nominee to be Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and I look forward to supporting him out of committee once the DOJ drops their bogus investigation into Chairman Powell that threatens the independence of the Fed.”

President Trump Visits Federal Reserve

The Move That Just Cleared A Key Hurdle For Trump’s Plan To Change What You Pay

Executive

Federal Reserve

Jerome Powell

Kevin Warsh

Trump Administration

U.S. Senate

Former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) could face decades behind bars if he is convicted of rape, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro told The Daily Wire on Wednesday.
Swalwell resigned on Tuesday afternoon following multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, including two allegations of sexual assault. One stems from an alleged 2018 incident in West Hollywood, California, while other claims are reportedly under investigation in New York City by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“Let’s just put it this way. Based upon an allegation that&#8217;s already been made of possibly drugging, choking, and then raping a woman,” Pirro said. “You&#8217;re talking about decades in prison.”
Pirro said her office is reviewing tips she has received since Tuesday. She <a href="https://x.com/USAttyPirro/status/2044172473852157969?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted to X</a>, urging “anyone with credible information or complaints involving similar conduct in the District of Columbia to contact my office’s hotline 202-252-0809.”
“We&#8217;ve gotten some, but we&#8217;re trying to make sense as to whether or not they involve this jurisdiction or whether they involve a crime at all,” Pirro said. “We have to go through a process where we actually review that and not just count the numbers.”
She added that while there are no other members of Congress currently on her radar, she believes the culture of exploited power dynamics on Capitol Hill appears to be going strong.
“The old boy network is alive and well, and it is infuriating, especially with someone like me who&#8217;s been prosecuting these cases since the early &#8217;80s,” Pirro noted.
“There is silence, and there is secrecy, and unfortunately, there&#8217;s a failure by Congress to hold its own members accountable,” she added. “But when you think about it, who has more power than someone in Congress? You know, their power is wielded on a daily basis. They make laws, they repeal laws, they amend laws. This is an incredible imbalance in the power between a perpetrator and a victim,” she said. “Those of us who&#8217;ve been in the trenches, biting this stuff for decades, just keep thinking it gets better, but it doesn&#8217;t. And this has to stop.”
Swalwell has not been formally charged in connection with the allegations, including the 2018 California incident described at a press conference on Tuesday.
“He raped me, and he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness,” model <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-accusers-the-fbi-yacht-girls-things-go-from-bad-to-worse-for-swalwell?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Swalwell+Accuser+Claims+Dem+Drugged%2C+Choked%2C+And+Raped+Her%3A+%E2%80%98I+Thought+I+Died%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lonna Drewes</a> alleged. “And I thought I died. I did not consent to any sexual activity.”
“My delay in taking action against Eric was driven by fear, not doubt. Fear of his political power, his background as an attorney, and his family law enforcement ties,” Drewes added.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff&#8217;s Department is investigating the allegations, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/los-angeles-county-eric-swalwell-sexual-assault-allegation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a> reported.
Despite his resignation from Congress and decision to exit the California governor’s race, Swalwell said Monday that he “will fight the serious, false allegation made against me,&#8221; prior to the second rape accuser coming forward.
&#8220;However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make,” he stated.
In total, five individuals have publicly accused the former congressman of misconduct, including allegations that he sent inappropriate images over Snapchat to young women, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/10/us/eric-swalwell-sexual-misconduct-allegations-invs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> reported.

Eric SwalwellJeanine Pirro Split

EXCLUSIVE: Jeanine Pirro Breaks Down Why Swalwell Could Face Decades Behind Bars

Congress

Crime

Eric Swalwell

Washington DC

The Department of Justice said Friday morning that a key figure in the 2012 Benghazi attack has been brought to the United States to face justice.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Zubayr al-Bakoush was captured overseas and flown to the United States, arriving at Andrews Air Force Base at 3:00 a.m. Friday morning, where he was greeted by FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
“Al-Bakoush will now face American justice on American soil,” Bondi said. “We will prosecute this alleged terrorist to the fullest extent of the law.”
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Zubayr Al-Bakoush, a key participant in the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack, was arrested and arrived in the U.S. today to face justice. <a href="https://t.co/cnC0CbVSB4">pic.twitter.com/cnC0CbVSB4</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2019791355665347040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
Al-Bakoush will face several charges related to murder, terrorism, and arson for his role in the September 11, 2012, terrorist attack that led to the deaths of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens, State Department information officer Sean Smith, and CIA contractors Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.
“Let this case serve as a reminder: if you commit a crime against the American people anywhere in this world, President Trump&#8217;s Justice Department will find you,” Bondi said. “It might not happen overnight, but it will happen. You can run, but you can’t hide.”
The fallout from the 2012 Benghazi attack remained a major focus in U.S. political debate for years, prompting multiple congressional investigations and high-profile hearings over security failures and the Obama administration’s response under then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Much of the criticism centered on Americans on the ground who waited 13 hours for help that never came.
Bondi said that even 14 years later, holding those responsible to account still matters.
“Hillary Clinton famously once said about Benghazi, &#8216;What difference at this point does it make?&#8217; Well, it makes a difference to Donald Trump,&#8221; said Bondi. &#8220;It makes a difference to those families. And fourteen years later, it makes a difference to law enforcement who made the difference in this case.”
Bondi said the families of the victims were “absolutely thrilled,” adding that they had “probably lost faith that something would happen.”
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I asked Attorney General Pam Bondi what communication looked like with victims families amid today’s major Benghazi suspect arrest.
Bondi said details were kept airtight until arrest was made but they contacted afterward. <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realdailywire</a> <a href="https://t.co/cnoEB8Yryx">pic.twitter.com/cnoEB8Yryx</a>
— Cameron Arcand (@cameron_arcand) <a href="https://twitter.com/cameron_arcand/status/2019794468438695948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
“Donald Trump never forgets,” she said.
FBI Director Patel said capturing those responsible for the attack was an early priority, adding that more suspects remain at large. He noted that the Trump administration has arrested six of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives in about one year, two more than were apprehended under the Biden administration.
In 2014, American authorities arrested militia commander Ahmed Abu Khatallah in connection with the Benghazi attack. He was acquitted in 2017 of 14 charges, including murder, but convicted of four lesser terrorism-related counts and <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/ahmed-abu-khatallah-sentenced-22-years-prison-september-2012-attack-benghazi-libya">sentenced</a> to 22 years in prison. 
Al-Bakoush was first charged by a complaint in 2015, a case that remained sealed for 11 years, according to Pirro. 
“We&#8217;re here today because we have an interagency that is led by superior individuals who have one shared goal: protecting America and our lives and our future,” Patel said. “And to any others out there who wish to do harm, especially commit acts of terrorism here and around the world, this is the fate you will meet. You will not be forgotten by us. We will chase you down.”
The FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team, the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group, and the FBI’s Special Flight Operations Unit were involved in the operation.
Pirro, who will prosecute al-Bakoush, said she had a close relationship with the victims&#8217; families while reporting on the attack for Fox News. She said she personally called the families to share the news after the suspect was arrested. 
“I spoke with Sean Smith’s mother, who I’ve known for years and have communicated with for years. I spoke with Tyrone Woods’ wife, widow, Dr. Dorothy Woods. I spoke with Ambassador Chris Stevens’ family, as well as Glen Doherty’s brother, Greg, as well as his widow. These were people who never expected that justice would be coming.”

US-LIBYA-POLITICS-JUSTICE-BENGHAZI

BENGHAZI BOMBSHELL: U.S. Captures ‘Key Participant’ In Deadly 2012 Embassy Attack

Benghazi

kash patel

Pam Bondi

Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) is refusing to comply with a Justice Department investigation into a video she helped organize that urged U.S. service members to resist what she described as “illegal orders,” escalating a standoff with federal prosecutors.
Slotkin said this week she will not sit for a voluntary interview with investigators, saying in a <a href="https://x.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/2019474013307715592">statement</a> on X Thursday, “I’m not gonna be sitting for this inquiry. I’m not gonna legitimize their actions,” even as her legal team prepares for what it says could become litigation against the Justice Department.
Slotkin’s attorney informed U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro that the senator would decline a voluntary interview and requested that the office preserve documents for “anticipated litigation,” in letters first obtained by the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/slotkin-illegal-orders-video-justice-department-interview-06b6c041b158b2ed5911c52a16868764">Associated Press</a>. A separate letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi urged her to immediately terminate the inquiry and reject an FBI interview request.
The investigation stems from a video Slotkin released last year alongside five other Democratic lawmakers, all with prior military or intelligence experience, urging active-duty service members to refuse orders they believe to be unlawful. Republicans criticized the video as reckless and potentially encouraging insubordination, while President Donald Trump publicly accused the lawmakers of sedition.
Slotkin has sought to reframe the video as a civics lesson rather than a call to disobedience, insisting it was meant only to remind troops of their duty to reject illegal commands. But she has simultaneously accused federal authorities of attempting to silence her through intimidation.
“They are purposely using physical and legal intimidation to get me to shut up,” Slotkin said. “But more importantly, they’re using that intimidation to deter others from speaking out against their administration.”
Slotkin further warned officials at the Justice Department that while recent Supreme Court rulings have expanded presidential immunity, those protections do not extend to officials enforcing the law on the president’s behalf.
 “The Supreme Court may have given the president near-immunity on most matters,” she said, “but they’ve given no such immunity to those doing his bidding.”
The Justice Department’s requests have so far been voluntary, placing the burden on prosecutors to decide whether to escalate the inquiry by issuing subpoenas to sitting members of Congress. Asked whether she would comply if subpoenaed, Slotkin paused before responding, saying only that she would “take a hard look at it.”
Slotkin has portrayed the investigation as part of a broader campaign of intimidation, citing threats against her family and property following renewed attention to the video. “If they can do this to a sitting senator,” she said, “just imagine what they could do to a community leader, a business leader, or a mom who goes viral on the internet.”
The dispute has also raised questions about accountability for lawmakers who invoke military authority in partisan messaging, even as Slotkin positions herself as a victim of political overreach. The Pentagon has separately investigated Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), another participant in the video, while Kelly has sued over efforts to discipline him.
Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and three-term House member before winning her Senate seat in 2024, has increasingly leaned into confrontation with the Trump administration. She has publicly urged Democrats to abandon restraint, “I&#8216;m from the Midwest and for us, leaders like our coaches are just — they have got some alpha energy to them,” Slotkin said when asked how she’d fix Democratic messaging in 2025. 
Her push to bring “alpha energy” back to the party has coincided with a divisive start to her Senate tenure. “I did this to go on offense,” Slotkin said of her refusal to cooperate. “To put them in a position where they have to own their choices.”
Whether that strategy forces the Justice Department to retreat now rests with federal prosecutors weighing how far to press an investigation into members of Congress who are openly daring them to act.

Elissa Slotkin

Dem Senator Thumbs Her Nose At DOJ, Rejects Call To Answer For ‘Illegal Orders’ Video

Dem Senator Refuses To Comply With DOJ Investigation On 'Illegal Orders' Video

First Amendment

Mark Kelly

Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin said that she is under federal investigation following her role in a video made by Democratic lawmakers in November, urging military members to &#8220;refuse illegal orders.&#8221;
Slotkin <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/politics/slotkin-pirro-trump-justice-dept-video.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share">told</a> The New York Times on Monday that the office of Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, reached out to the Senate sergeant-at-arms to request an interview with the first-term senator or her private counsel. Pirro&#8217;s office told The Daily Wire that it neither confirms nor denies &#8220;the existence of an investigation.&#8221;
Slotkin, a former CIA officer, organized the <a href="https://x.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948">video message</a> to military members, which included five other Democratic lawmakers who are also veterans. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Reps. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Jason Crow (D-CO) all appeared in Slotkin&#8217;s video and told military members, &#8220;This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.&#8221;
&#8220;Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution,&#8221; the Democrats added. &#8220;Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren&#8217;t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear: you can refuse illegal orders &#8230; you must refuse illegal orders.&#8221;
The Trump administration has referred to the group of Democrats in the video as the &#8220;Seditious Six,&#8221; arguing that their message is an attempt to undermine the commander-in-chief&#8217;s authority over the military. After the video was released, President Donald Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115582703277798715">suggested</a> that it constituted &#8220;seditious behavior, punishable by death.&#8221; Trump later said that he was not threatening the Democrats with the death penalty, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-democrats-sedition-death-threat-military-rcna245156">adding</a>, “I think they’re in serious trouble. I would say they’re in serious trouble. I’m not threatening death, but I think they’re in serious trouble. In the old days, it was death. That was seditious behavior.”
Sen. Kelly, a retired astronaut and naval officer, is currently under investigation by the War Department for his role in the &#8220;seditious video,&#8221; and War Secretary Pete Hegseth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseth-moves-to-strip-mark-kelly-of-rank-and-pay-over-seditious-military-video">moved</a> earlier this month to strip Kelly of his rank and retirement pay. Kelly filed a lawsuit against Hegseth on Monday, arguing that Hegseth&#8217;s action violates the First Amendment.
&#8220;Pete Hegseth is coming after what I earned through my twenty-five years of military service, in violation of my rights as an American, as a retired veteran, and as a United States Senator whose job is to hold him—and this or any administration—accountable,&#8221; Kelly <a href="https://x.com/SenMarkKelly/status/2010787235549876286?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2011151451381498107%7Ctwgr%5E51310249b3c4ab3a335554f0d8d33fc75ab47b7d%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fpete-hegseth-hits-back-at-captain-mark-kelly-he-knows-exactly-what-he-did">said</a>. &#8220;His unconstitutional crusade against me sends a chilling message to every retired member of the military: if you speak out and say something that the President or Secretary of Defense doesn’t like, you will be censured, threatened with demotion, or even prosecuted.&#8221;
Hegseth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pete-hegseth-hits-back-at-captain-mark-kelly-he-knows-exactly-what-he-did?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Pete+Hegseth+Hits+Back+At+%E2%80%98Captain%E2%80%99+Mark+Kelly%3A+He+%E2%80%98Knows+Exactly+What+He+Did%E2%80%99">fired back</a>, saying that Kelly is &#8220;worried and cranky.&#8221;
“&#8217;Captain&#8217; Kelly knows exactly what he did, and that he will be held to account,&#8221; he added.

Dem Senator Says Feds Are Investigating Her After Urging Military To ‘Refuse Illegal Orders’

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U.S. Military

The Afghan national accused of killing one National Guard soldier and injuring another in a Thanksgiving week attack in Washington, D.C., could now face the death penalty after prosecutors moved the case to federal court.
The Justice Department announced Tuesday that it has filed a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/media/1421951/dl?inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criminal complaint</a> against 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, charging him with two federal firearms offenses: transporting or shipping a stolen firearm in interstate commerce and transporting or receiving firearms in interstate or foreign commerce with intent to commit a crime. Lakanwal is also charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault with intent to kill while armed.
The federal charges bring the case to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia from the D.C. Superior Court. Lakanwal is accused of gunning down U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, both members of the West Virginia National Guard, while they patrolled the streets of the nation&#8217;s capital. Beckstrom died from her wounds just a day after the attack, while Wolfe was critically injured and still in recovery, but expected to survive. 
“The transfer of this case from Superior Court to District Court ensures that we can undertake the serious, deliberate, and weighty analysis required to determine if the death penalty is appropriate here,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “Sarah Beckstrom was just 20 years old when she was killed and her parents are now forced to endure the holiday season without their daughter. Andrew Wolfe, by the grace of God, survived but has a long road ahead in his recovery.”
The federal complaint filed Tuesday says that Lakanwal “purposely and with deliberate and premeditated malice, killed Beckstrom by shooting her in the head with a firearm. Your affiant also asserts that, by shooting Wolfe in the head with a firearm, LAKANWAL assaulted Wolfe with intent to kill him.”
Lakanwal, who was shot during the attack, pleaded not guilty to the D.C. charges earlier this month. 
According to the complaint, the weapon used in the shooting was a stolen .357 Smith &amp; Wesson revolver. Prosecutors say on October 15, Lakanwal sent photos of an AR-15 and a pistol to an unnamed individual in Washington, where he lived, along with the message, “find this stuff for me.”
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“I’m doing [Lyft] an[d] Uber so I will need one of them[.]” Lakanwal allegedly said. The unidentified person replied by saying, “I wish I could help brother but the laws here are to[o] strict[.]”
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The criminal complaint states that Lakanwal had not provided a Lyft ride since May, and that a family member told investigators his Uber account had been banned.
The unidentified individual later supplied Lakanwal with the revolver, which had been stolen from a Seattle home in May 2023, according to the complaint. The person who furnished the weapon told investigators he believed Lakanwal wanted it “for personal protection while working as a rideshare driver.”
After obtaining the firearm, Lakanwal is alleged to have purchased ammunition the following day. Two hours later, Lakanwal searched “Washington, D.C.” and “The White House” in Google Maps, according to the complaint.

President Trump Orders Hundreds More National Guard Troops to D.C. After Shooting Of Guardsmen

Trump Wants Death Penalty For Afghanistan Man Charged In Deadly National Guard Shooting

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Washington D.C.

United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro revealed that the Democrat-run D.C. police manipulated data to make the city seem safer than it was.
Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith, the top cop in the nation’s capital, said on Monday that she will step down at the end of the month, as her department faces continued pressure to address violent crime.
Smith has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/capitals-top-cop-quits-following-months-of-controversy-over-d-c-law-enforcement?utm_source=chatgpt.com">acknowledged</a> her final day will be on December 31. The Justice Department is also investigating the police department over allegations that it has been manipulating crime data to hide how dangerous the city has become under Democratic leadership.
“I think there was certainly an effort to misclassify, mischaracterize certain categories of crime,” Pirro <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2001299446303199714">told</a> Dana Perino on FOX News Channels’ America’s Newsroom. “It was an attempt to make crime look lower than it was. The investigation that we conducted over a period of several months based upon the report of the deflation of numbers was very thorough &#8230; over 6,000 reports were looked at; over 50 witnesses.”
“And those witnesses were ranked and filed from the top down,” she stated. “The bottom line here is this: Now we’re in a situation with President Trump and the Attorney General, Pam Bondi, where every case is being looked at. Every case is being reviewed by my office. So if it appears that the arrest is lower than what the facts show, we’re going to upgrade that crime.”
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“You know, what’s amazing to me is that the U.S. attorney before me in the Biden administration did not go forward with more than 65% of the arrests,” she noted. “That means that even if police made arrests, they weren&#8217;t being prosecuted.”
“In my office, we go forward with over 90 percent of the arrests,” she asserted. “We review them. We look at them. We see if&#8230; the law and the evidence support the charging, and we go forward. And this really is a testament to the determination and the focus of the president in making sure that crime is down in our nation’s capital, because when crime is underreported, then police resources are not put in certain areas, and then as a result of that, people don’t think that they are being protected; they then don’t report crime.”
“Now, everything has changed,” she declared. “In the period since we had the surge, homicides are down 65% compared to the year before, carjackings are down 68%, and robberies are down 49%. We&#8217;re making a difference, but it is a focus on law and order, and it&#8217;s the federal partners coming in, and the people of the district deserve it.”
Zach Jewell contributed to this article.

Department of Justice 12/4/25

‘Make Crime Look Lower Than It Was’: Jeanine Pirro Accuses D.C. Police Of Manipulating Crime Data

The Afghan national suspected of shooting two National Guard troops, seriously wounding one and killing another, will be charged with first-degree murder, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said Friday.
Pirro said during an <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/1994400786063741313">interview</a> on “Fox and Friends” that 29-year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/afghan-national-in-custody-for-national-guard-attack-was-in-country-illegally?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Afghan+National+In+Custody+For+National+Guard+Attack+Was+In+Country+Illegally">Rahmanullah Lakanwal</a> will face the upgraded charge after National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom of the West Virginia National Guard died after she was shot on Wednesday. Lakanwal is accused of shooting both Beckstrom and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe with a handgun while they patrolled the streets of Washington, D.C. 
“There are certainly many more charges to come, but we are upgrading the initial charges of assault to murder in the first degree,” Pirro said. “It is a premeditated murder. There was an ambush with a gun toward people who didn&#8217;t know what was coming.”
Pirro added that the investigation into how the deadly shooting was still ongoing. 
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“And we are hoping that the more information we can get and the more investigation that is going on, 24/7… the more we will find out about what actually happened in terms of this individual, even being in this country and being in a position to ambush and shoot down an innocent young woman who was doing her duty to the people of this country.”
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Beckstrom had died of her injuries.
“She’s no longer with us, she’s looking down on us right now,” Trump said. “Her parents are with her. This just happened. She was savagely attacked, she’s dead, not with us. Incredible person. Outstanding in every single way, in every department. Just horrible.”
Pirro said Friday that there was “hope” about Wolfe’s condition but that he was “still in critical condition.”
“We are doing everything we can to assist his family and to make sure that they have everything they need during this difficult time for them,” Pirro told “Fox and Friends.” “We are all praying for Andrew Wolfe.”
Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 as part of President Joe Biden’s “Operation Allies Welcome,” which — as The Daily Wire previously reported — allowed roughly 77,000 Afghan nationals into the country. Trump said on Thursday that he would “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover” and “terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions.”

Charges Upgraded Against Afghan Shooting Suspect After National Guard Soldier Dies

The two heroic National Guardmen shot Wednesday by a crazed Afghan man while deployed to secure Washington, D.C., have been identified.
The service members are West Virginia National Guardsmen, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe, 24, United States Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro revealed during a press conference Thursday morning.
Both Beckstrom and Wolfe “were sworn in less than 24 hours before they were shot on the street in Washington,” Pirro said.
&#8220;They were uniformed members of the West Virginia National Guard, and they were in DC to keep DC safe pursuant to President Trump&#8217;s executive order to make DC safe and beautiful,&#8221; Pirro said.
&#8220;They answered the call, they took the charge, they volunteered, they put their lives on the line for people they don&#8217;t even know, and that unfortunately is becoming a reality more and more for the members of law enforcement,&#8221; she said.
Beckstrom had volunteered to work the Thanksgiving holiday so that her fellow soldiers could go home to their families, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News Thursday.
&#8220;She volunteered to be there on Thanksgiving, working today,&#8221; Bondi said. &#8220;She volunteered, as did many of those guardsmen and women, so other people could be home with their families. Yet, now, their families are in hospital rooms with them while they are fighting for their lives.&#8221;
Beckstrom and Wolfe both emerged from surgery on Thursday and remain in critical condition.
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This morning, we can confirm that my constituent Andrew Wolfe, 24, from Berkeley County, and his fellow National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom, 20, have successfully made it through surgery but are still in critical condition. Their families are with them in the hospital.
I am… <a href="https://t.co/brcCRe0Ftm">pic.twitter.com/brcCRe0Ftm</a>
— Rep. Riley M. Moore (@RepRileyMoore) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRileyMoore/status/1994070758679597109?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
&#8220;They&#8217;re receiving the finest medical care, their families are with them now,&#8221; Pirro said.
&#8220;They are critical &#8230; it&#8217;s not clear how this is gonna end up, but let me be perfectly clear about how it will end up in this office. If one of them is to pass, and God forbid that happens, this is a murder one, period, end of the story. We are praying on a day like today when families come together in America, and they hold hands around the Thanksgiving table, I beg you, I beseech you to pray for these two young people that they survive,&#8221; she said.
The suspect, Afghan national <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/afghan-national-in-custody-for-national-guard-attack-was-in-country-illegally?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Afghan+National+In+Custody+For+National+Guard+Attack+Was+In+Country+Illegally" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rahmanullah Lakanwal</a>, 29, entered the United States in 2021 as part of President Joe Biden’s “Operation Allies Welcome,&#8221; which allowed roughly 77,000 Afghan nationals into the country during the botched withdrawal of American troops, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire late Wednesday.
Lakanwal is now charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He faces 15 years in prison for assault with the intent to kill.
If either one of the two soldiers succumbs to their injuries, the federal government will seek charges of murder in the first degree against the suspect, making him eligible for the death penalty.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump described the attack as a “monstrous ambush,” blaming the Biden administration for waving the alleged shooter into the U.S.
“This attack underscores the single greatest national security threat facing our nation. The last administration let in 20 million unknown and unvetted foreigners from all over the world,” Trump said.
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Meet The Hero National Guardsmen Fighting For Their Lives After DC Attack

In the wake of the shooting of two members of the National Guard in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro made it clear that if either one of the two — who are currently in critical condition — do not survive, the federal government will seek charges of murder in the first degree against the suspect, making him eligible for the death penalty.
Speaking at a press conference Thursday morning, Pirro stated, “We’re working very closely with our partners, especially DHS and the FBI, to review his immigration history and the vetting process itself. What we know about him is that he drove his vehicle across the country from the state of Washington with the intended target of coming to our nation’s capital.”
“As we stand here today, the charges that are appropriate right now are three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, a violation of DC code 22–401 and DC code 22–4502,” she continued. “He will also be charged with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He faces 15 years under assault with the intent to kill. We intend to continue monitoring what the charges will be, depending upon the well-being of the guardsmen. We are praying that they survive and that the highest charge will not have to be murder in the first degree.”
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“But make no mistake,” she declared. “If they do not, that will certainly be the charge: murder in the first degree. The Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi is committed to a thorough and impartial investigation where we will hold this perpetrator accountable under the full weight of the law.”
“Our nation’s capital should not and must not be a place where evil comes to commit violence, whatever their cause or motive may be,” she asserted. “We should not have to live in fear in the nation’s capital, especially by one who came here from a foreign country through a process that was so absurd that he came through and released into this country as many were, knowing virtually nothing about his vetting. This is what happens in this country when people are allowed in who are not properly vetted.”
She offered a tribute to law enforcement: “These guardsmen and all who were here to protect the district are the line that separates a civilized society from a barbaric one. They are the ones who stand for law and order. This was not just an attack. It was a direct challenge to law and order in our nation’s capital and the individual will be made fully accountable.”
“Though it seems that we have been here before, under President Trump make no mistake and the attorney general: We will not allow this to be normalized. It will be confronted, condemned and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Now my message to the individual who committed these acts is you picked the wrong target, the wrong city and the wrong country and you will be sorry for the violence and the evil that you perpetrated in our nation’s capital,” she concluded.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, MPD Chief Pamela Smith, And DC Mayor Bowser Discuss Arrests In Murder Of Congressional Intern

Suspect In National Guard Shootings Could Receive Death Penalty: U.S. Attorney Pirro

Death Penalty

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