Trump responds to Boulder attack in social media post, seizes on suspect's immigration status
President Donald Trump on Monday responded for the first time to the attack against a crowd of pro-Israel demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado, seizing on the assertion that the suspect was in the United States illegally, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
"Yesterday's horrific attack in Boulder, Colorado, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED in the United States of America," Trump wrote on his conservative social media platform.
"Acts of Terrorism will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law. This is yet another example of why we must keep our Borders SECURE, and deport Illegal, Anti-American Radicals from our Homeland. My heart goes out to the victims of this terrible tragedy, and the Great People of Boulder, Colorado!" the president added.
Eight people were injured on Sunday in what the FBI is calling an "act of terror." Boulder police said the motive for the attack still has not been established.
The suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was allegedly heard yelling "Free Palestine" while throwing a "makeshift flamethrower" at a demonstration to raise awareness about the remaining hostages in Gaza, according to authorities.
Soliman has been charged with a federal hate crime, according to court documents. He allegedly told police "he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead."
The Department of Homeland Security on Monday said Soliman is in the U.S. illegally. He entered the country on a B2 visa, which is typically a tourism visa, in August 2022 and in September 2022 applied for asylum. The B2 visa expired in February 2023.
Soliman was granted a work permit after his B2 visa expired, a senior official told ABC News. That work permit expired on March 28, so he has been in the country illegally since then, the official said.
Trump sought to cast blame over Soliman's immigration status on former President Joe Biden, criticizing his predecessor's policies and saying "he must go out under 'TRUMP' Policy."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt made a similar argument on Monday as she took some questions from reporters outside the White House.
Leavitt said the suspect was "foolishly given a tourism visa" by the previous administration.
"These individuals are going to be deported, and we're not going to tolerate such violence in our country," Leavitt said.
While Trump seized on the fact that the alleged attacker was in the country illegally, the president did not mention antisemitism in his statement.
Though a White House senior official said Trump was briefed on Sunday, his first public comments came nearly 24 hours after the attack.
Leavitt, in her gaggle with reporters, was asked for the administration message to the Jewish community.
"We have seen two horrific cases of anti-semitic violence in our country in the last two weeks, and it is unacceptable to this president and this White House," she said. "And rest assured to all Jewish Americans across our great country, this president has your back and he's not going to allow anyone to take part in violent terrorism, acts of terrorism, in our country."
Attorney General Pam Bondi also released a statement Monday in which she condemned "vile anti-Semitic violence."
"The Department of Justice has swiftly charged the illegal alien perpetrator of this heinous attack with a federal hate crime and will hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Our prayers are with the victims and our Jewish community across the world," Bondi said.
