President-elect Donald Trump slammed "criminals coming in" from other countries after a driver plowed into dozens of people in New Orleans, killing 10 and wounding dozens of others. But Trump's statement, issued Wednesday morning, appeared to have been made before authorities identified the suspect as a 42-year-old Texas military veteran — a fact not lost on even the right-wing Fox News network.
Around 3 a.m. Wednesday, a pickup truck intentionally mowed down a crowd of New Year's revelers on Bourbon Street in the city's French Quarter. The suspect, identified as Shamsud Din Jabbar, drove a Ford F-150 Lightning truck in the attack that was apparently rented via the Turo app, the owner of the truck told ABC7.
Hours after the attack on Wednesday morning, Trump echoed his campaign rhetoric in blaming criminals from other countries.
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"When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true. The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before. Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department. The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!" he exclaimed.
A Fox News reporter read the statement on air Wednesday afternoon after federal officials identified the suspect, and fact-checked the president-elect.
"Now the former president said criminals coming in in a statement, meaning into our country, but to be clear Molly [Line] and Brian [Llenas] the suspect was born in the United States, he served in the United States Army, he was a veteran, the FBI is the lead agency in this investigation going through the social media and any other accounts associated with the suspect," said Justice Correspondent David Spunt.
Watch the clip below or at this link.
Fox after reading statement from Trump: The former president said criminals coming in in his statement meaning into our country. To be clear, the suspect was born in the United States. He served in the United States army. He was a veteran. pic.twitter.com/H6OeisOeas
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 1, 2025