Following reports that an Afghan national was responsible for shooting two National Guardsmen near the White House this week, several prominent figures on the far-left of the political spectrum quickly sought to connect the incident to President Trump’s policies.

The attack occurred just a block from the White House shortly before 3 p.m., leaving the guardsmen in critical condition. Their deployment was part of a National Guard surge ordered by the president in August to address rising crime in Washington, D.C., following several high-profile incidents.

Critics of the President wasted little time linking this tragedy back to his administration. MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann notably weighed in early with remarks implying fault:

> “Trump put them in harm’s way,” Olbermann posted online. It’s a predictable tactic from those who reflexively attribute all problems to their target, conveniently overlooking the actual threats and allowing prejudice to substitute for evidence.

This narrative strategy isn’t limited to Olbermann. Numerous progressive commentators utilized this moment to advance predetermined agendas against the President’s leadership in border security and military deployments.

Conversely, supporters of the administration echoed concerns that violent criminals entering the country pose an unacceptable risk regardless of deployment location or status:

> “I wish more had heeded those warnings,” said Senator Mike Lee regarding earlier concerns about Afghan immigration. These voices correctly identify that lax border policies create dangerous conditions for everyone in our nation.

President Trump addressed the incident directly, emphasizing security and control over resources: