President Trump Responds as Fear Strikes D.C.

Tragedy struck last night in Washington, D.C., when pro-Hamas sympathizer Elias Rodriguez murdered two Israeli diplomats – a young man and woman who were soon to be engaged – outside the Capital Jewish Museum. According to one witness, Rodriguez proclaimed: “I did this for Gaza.” Shortly thereafter, the police took the radicalized killer into custody.

You might expect to hear such horrible news occurring on the streets of Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. You definitely don’t expect to hear it taking place in our nation’s capital. Deadly antisemitism is on our doorstep.

President Donald Trump put out a message of support for Israel: “These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!”

The DOJ also didn’t waste any time in responding. Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to use federal agencies to better protect the Jewish communities in D.C. at this time. She also stressed that the murderer would be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Also, Deputy FBI Director Don Bongino posted: “Last night’s act of terror has the full attention of your FBI. Targeted acts of anti-Semitic violence are typically carried out by spineless, gutless cowards.” It’s reassuring to see that the current Administration can properly label terrorists – unlike during the previous four years.

ACLJ Senior Counsel for International and Government Affairs Jeff Ballabon weighed in on the tragedy:

The contextualization of this, whether it’s the murderer himself (and apparently, there’s a manifesto), or it’s the media that has been doing this from the beginning, or it’s the terrorists who perpetrated the October 7th atrocities against the Jews, and then try to cast themselves as victims. That’s what always happens. . . .

And somehow every Jew in the world, everywhere, their lives are cheap, and it’s understandable when they’re killed. And this idea is not only sick and disturbing but also the same idea that destroyed civilization after civilization around the world. This idea that we want to find someone to hate and blame: Let’s pick on the Jews, let’s find some way to make them the eternal outsider, some way to blame them for everything. . . . And the fact that this is now here in America and that this has become normalized by politicians, by the press, media, and it's taken up on college campuses, etc. This is the result: murder.

We live in America. No one should be afraid to walk down the street and be gunned down because of a difference in religion or ethnicity. Right now, I fear for the lives of my wife and kids.

Of course, last night’s murders are just a microcosm of the ongoing attacks on Israel. As we’ve told you, the international community continues to blame Israel for defending itself after the horrific atrocities of October 7.

In an act of lawfare, the International Criminal Court (ICC) launched a baseless investigation into Israel, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s defense minister. The ICC wants both Israeli leaders locked up for protecting Israel from further attacks. It’s outrageous.

Israel correctly challenged the ICC’s jurisdiction to make such a move. In a small victory for Israel, the Appeals Chamber of the ICC recently accepted Israel’s appeal against the Pre-Trial Chamber’s (PTC) ruling on Israel’s challenge to the court’s jurisdiction.

The ICC’s appellate chamber reversed the decision below and remanded the case back to the PTC to address Israel’s substantive challenges anew. Through our international affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), we have filed leave to submit an amicus brief to the ICC in this case. We are preparing our brief right now as we plan to defend Israel’s right to defend itself from further attack.

We will never stop defending Israel both on the world stage and in America. We defended Israeli students on college campuses when pro-Hamas supporters threatened their lives. And we continue to implore international tribunals to recognize Israel’s right to protect her people.

We need your ongoing support to defend Israel. Everything we accomplish at the ACLJ is a result of the donations of our ACLJ Members and Champions. Sign our petition to stand with Israel, and consider donating to our legal defense of Israel.

Today’s Sekulow broadcast included a full analysis of the brutal execution of two Israeli diplomats in Washington, D.C.

Watch the full broadcast below: