Democrats and the corporate media stoked fear about President Donald Trump deploying the National Guard in the lead-up to a Wednesday shooting that left two guardsmen critically injured.
The guardsmen were shot blocks away from the White House, according to officials. In the months and days before the shooting, Democrats and the corporate media argued the National Guard could cause violence or tamper with the 2026 midterm elections.
Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in an August interview that the idea of Trump sending the National Guard to Chicago was “an attack on the American people” and that the president would like to use guardsmen to “stop the elections in 2026 or, frankly, take control of those elections.”
READ: Terror Probe Underway: Afghan National ID’d As Gunman In Ambush Near White House
Moreover, Democratic Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin suggested on ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday that guardsmen could open fire on Americans due to tension. She made the suggestion after posting a Nov. 18 video telling service members and intelligence personnel to “refuse illegal orders” from the Trump administration.
“My primary concern is the use of U.S. military on American shores … in our cities and in our streets,” Slotkin said. “We’ve seen now the courts overturn the deployment of U.S. military into our streets, including here in Washington, D.C. When you look at these videos coming out of places like Chicago, it makes me incredibly nervous that we’re about to see people in law enforcement, people in uniformed military, get nervous, get stressed, shoot at American civilians.”
“It is … a very, very stressful situation for these law enforcement and for the communities on the ground,” she added. “So it was basically a warning to say, like, if you’re asked to do something, particularly against American citizens, you have the ability to go to your JAG officer and push back.”
Furthermore, “The View” co-host Joy Behar baselessly argued on Oct. 7 that the National Guard would bar Americans from voting.
READ: Ambush At The Capital: Troops Cling To Life As Trump To Send 500 More Soldiers To D.C.
“This is a pretext to stop the next election,” Behar said. “That’s what I think it is.”
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) confirmed on X that a suspect was in custody for the shooting, but did not release details on the potential motive.
Trump posted on Truth Social that the two injured National Guardsmen were critically injured.
“The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price. God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement,” the president wrote. “These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!”
Republican West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey posted on X that the two guardsmen, both from his state, died from their wounds, but subsequently walked back his tweet, writing that there were “conflicting reports about the condition” of the guardsmen.
FBI Director Kash Patel and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll both confirmed during a Wednesday afternoon press conference that the guardsmen were in “critical condition.”
Trump deployed the National Guard to Washington, D.C., in August and invoked Section 40 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to clamp down on crime in the district. The deployment followed a slew of crimes in the district that garnered national attention.
A federal judge ruled on Thursday that the deployment was illegal, CBS News reported. She stayed her ruling for three weeks to provide an opportunity for the Trump administration to appeal it.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
