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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt extended the administration’s sincerest condolences to the victims of a violent firebombing that unfolded in Boulder, Colorado, on Sunday, at a rally supporting Israel, calling the incident a “horrific act of violence.”
“President Trump and the entire administration’s hearts go out to the victims, and they are in our prayers during this unimaginable time,” Leavitt said during a Tuesday afternoon press briefing.
According to Fox News, the alleged firebomber, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, is reportedly an Egyptian national who was in the United States on an expired work visa. Leavitt pointed out that Soliman allegedly entered the country under the Biden administration’s lax immigration policies in 2022.
“This monster used a makeshift flamethrower to light Jewish Americans on fire in an attempt to burn them alive,” Leavitt added.
Sunday’s firebombing was directed at a “Run for Their Lives” event meant to raise awareness and support for Israeli hostages who are still being held by Hamas terrorists, Fox reported.
“This is pure evil,” Leavitt said on Tuesday. “The Department of Justice has already filed federal hate crime charges against the alleged perpetrator.”
She also slammed the Biden administration for allowing Soliman to stay in the country. “This tragedy is a sobering reminder of the Biden administration’s failed policies,” she said.
According to the DOJ, Soliman is being charged with a federal hate crime as well as state charges for attempted murder.
“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,” U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in an official statement.
Amid swells of anti-Semitic behavior in the wake of the October 7 attacks against Israel by Hamas, President Trump’s administration has taken a very strong stance on protecting Jewish Americans.
“The president has made it very clear…these anti-Semitic acts of violence do qualify as terrorism,” Leavitt said during her press briefing.
She added, “This president will stand up for Americans of all religions, of all faiths, of all creeds, and we will continue to look at policy measures and actions that we can take in addition to the actions that have already been taken to curb this anti-Semitic violence. And to Jewish Americans at home [and] across the country: this president has your back.”