Rep. Krishnamoorthi blames Trump's unpopularity for WHCA Dinner shooting
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., cited the three attempts on President Donald Trump's life, saying that his "very low approval ratings" do "fuel a lot of disaffection."
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., appeared to blame President Donald Trump for the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on Monday, suggesting that the shooting was the result of his unpopularity.
Krishnamoorthi spoke about the shooting during his appearance on CNN’s "The Situation Room," telling co-host Pamela Brown, "There’s tremendous, as you can understand, concern given the threat levels that are going up, in part because of the — the president and now three assassination attempts on him, his very low approval ratings, which unfortunately fuel a lot of disaffection."
An assailant rushed a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton Saturday night, shooting a Secret Service officer, who was hit in his bulletproof vest and survived. The suspect, Cole Allen, was apprehended and has been charged with multiple felonies. The gunfire led to Trump and the Cabinet officials at the dinner being evacuated, and the dinner being rescheduled.
Federal law enforcement officials confirmed to Fox News Digital that after Allen’s arrest, he said he intended to target Trump administration officials and had prepared a manifesto detailing his intent, while also sharing anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric on social media.
RO KHANNA SAYS DHS MUST BE FUNDED AFTER PRESSED ON WHCD SHOOTING FALLOUT
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi appears on stage at a primary-night event at The Westin Michigan Avenue in Chicago on March 18, 2026. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Getty Images)
In the interview, CNN's Pamela Brown said, "The bottom line is we see political violence on both sides of the aisle, unfortunately, and all of this raises whether the Secret Service has the resources it needs in these heightened threat environments that you just mentioned." She then asked, "Is it time to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, which, as you know, oversees the secret service?"
"I think it's time to bring back the deal that the Senate unanimously, unanimously passed to fully fund the Secret Service," Krishnamoorthi said. "TSA, other elements of DHS, as long as ICE and CBP are not fully reformed and overhauled, then those should not be funded right now."
An assailant rushed a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton Saturday night, shooting a Secret Service officer, who was hit in his bulletproof vest and survived. The suspect, Cole Allen, was apprehended and has been charged with multiple felonies. The gunfire led to Trump and the Cabinet at the dinner being evacuated, and the dinner will be rescheduled. (@realDonaldTrump via Truth Social)
Brown went on to play footage of Trump’s Sunday interview on "60 Minutes," where he noted how political assassinations are a common historical hazard, but warned, "I do think that the hate speech of the Democrats, much more so is, is very dangerous. I really think it‘s very dangerous for the country."
"Well, I think that definitely rhetoric needs to cool," Krishnamoorthi said. "But remember, his own rhetoric has inflamed the discourse in a way that we haven‘t seen before. I mean, just his Truth Social post the other day talking about ending Iranian civilization or even his repost a couple days ago about how India is a hellhole and people like me, Indian Americans, are a problem in this country, only inflame the political discourse."
"It‘s got to come down, the discourse has to cool down that it starts with the president," the congressman continued. "Of course, it extends to all of us. But to say that it‘s only one party doesn‘t really make sense and goes against all the facts."
Krishnamoorthi suggested that ending political violence begins with Trump toning down his rhetoric.
"But at the same time, you know, we have to come together and say that political violence has to end, that it‘s one thing to debate and discuss, you know, even vigorously policy matters of the day," he said. "But to engage in ad hominem attacks or to say that, you know, Indian Americans shouldn‘t belong here, or that a civilization should end, that‘s completely unacceptable. It‘s got to come to an end right now."
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First Lady Melania Trump and President Donald Trump attend the White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., on April 25, 2026. (Mandel Ngan/AFP)
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The Republican National Committe responded to Krishnamoorthi's comments on X.
"Sick!," they posted before asking, "What is wrong with Democrats?"
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and did not receive immediate reply.
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