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The White House’s social media crew lashed out at Jane Mayer from The New Yorker, branding her a “sick, disgusting ghoul” following her comments about the deployment of the National Guard to Washington, DC, after a shooting incident on Wednesday.
Mayer, responding to an initial report by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on X, criticized the move, stating, “This is so tragic, so unnecessary; these poor guardsmen should never have been deployed.”
She questioned the motives behind the Trump administration’s decision to deploy the National Guard, labeling it a “political show” and pondering “at what cost” it was being carried out.
Mayer, a resident of DC, remarked that she observed guardsmen during their deployment with little to do other than pick up trash.
The White House’s “Rapid Response 47” team swiftly reacted to her statements, retorting, “You sick, disgusting ghoul. Two of these heroes were just SHOT IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.”
‘The Guard has saved countless lives – backed up by evidence (which you’re clearly too stupid to notice).
‘They are American Patriots.’
Others, such as outspoken White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, also seized on the post, after the targeted attack left two soldiers in critical condition.
Longtime New Yorker staff writer Jane Mayer – seen here at the New York Historical Society in 2021 – questioned why members of the National Guard were in Washington, DC, on Wednesday after the shooting near the White House
In a post to X, she asked ‘at what cost’ this deployment was taking place, earning the above response from the White House’s social media team
The FBI confirmed Wednesday that two soldiers are being treated at a local hospital after being critically wounded
‘Jane, respectfully, shut the f**k up for trying to politicize this tragedy,’ Cheung wrote to the longtime New Yorker staff writer.
‘They were protecting DC and trying to make the nation’s capital safer.
‘People like you who engage in ghoulish behavior lose all credibility. Not like you had any to begin with,’ he continued.
Local investment firm communications advisor Jim McCarthy also chimed in, saying: ‘I’m a DC native, since even before home rule. Longtime homeowner in the city. Went to DC public schools and taught there too. Seen it all, first-hand my whole life.Â
‘Jane Mayer is completely and utterly full of crap,’ he concluded.
Steven Law, former chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, further fumed: ‘Only Jane Mayer would blame the deployment instead of the crazed killer who pulled the trigger.’
Several others expressed similar sentiments in the wake of the ambush-style attack just 800 yards from the White House.
The FBI confirmed Wednesday that two soldiers are being treated at a local hospital after being critically wounded.Â
Others, including White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, also tore into the New Yorker staff writer
A motive in the shooting remains unclear. The Guard members were both from West Virginia, officials said. Their investigation continues
They were identified Thursday as Andrew Wolfe, 24, and Sarah Backstrom, 20, in a press conference.Â
Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was also identified as the alleged gunman.
He was taken into custody Wednesday following a shootout with officials.Â
Lakanwal entered the US in 2021 under a Biden-era immigration program for Afghans who left their country after the government fell to the Taliban. A motive remains unclear.
The Guard members were from West Virginia and were attacked around 2:15pm ET, officials said. They remain in critical condition.