Damage Control: Thompson says he misspoke when referring to attack on National Guardsmen as an “unfortunate accident”

• Calls for Thompson to resign have come from within Mississippi and across the nation.

Congressman Bennie Thompson (D) was in damage control mode Friday after referring to the ambush-style attack in Washington, D.C. in November on two West Virginia National Guardsmen as an “unfortunate accident” during a hearing of the House Homeland Security Committee on Thursday.

The attack left Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom dead and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe in critical condition.

The Democrat from Mississippi’s Second Congressional District appeared on CNN Friday morning saying he misspoke during an exchange with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that has since gone viral.

Calls for Thompson to resign have come from within Mississippi and across the nation.

“CNN News Central” host Kate Bolduan pressed Thompson on his comments, saying, “You called the shooting and killing of the National Guard member that happened recently an ‘unfortunate accident.’ You then called it an ‘unfortunate situation.’ The man is charged with first-degree murder.”

“Congressman, do you believe it was an accident?” Bolduan asked.

“Oh, absolutely not,” Thompson replied. “And obviously, let me be clear, I was moving toward the discussion that she could not blame Joe Biden on the situation because she approved this person’s asylum application. And that’s where we were headed.”

Bolduan asked Thompson if he was claiming he “misspoke.”

“Oh, absolutely,” Thompson said. “Absolutely.”

During Thursday’s exchange with Noem, Thompson referred to the murder as an “unfortunate accident,” to which Noem asked, “You think that was an unfortunate accident? It was a terrorist attack.”

Thompson then waved his hand at Noem, and said, “Wait. Wait. Look I’ll get it straight. Then you can respond.”

“He shot our national guardsmen in the head,” Noem said.

“It was an unfortunate situation,” Thompson continued. “But you blamed it solely on Joe Biden.”

Rahmanullah Lakanwal has been charged with first-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty. He was an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 under the Biden administration during Operation Allies Welcome. Noem said asylum seekers are to have a check-in each year and the Biden administration failed in that regard.

Thompson noted that the Trump administration DHS approved the asylum application, to which Noem said it was under the Biden administration’s policies at the time prior to the Trump administration’s changes.