MSNBC is facing intense backlash after anchor Katy Tur delivered a segment that many viewers saw as a shocking attempt to rationalize the targeted shooting of two National Guardsmen near the White House. The remarks came during coverage of the November 26, 2025 attack, when Tur suggested that “people walking around with uniforms in an American city” might provoke objections from some Americans — a framing that critics say minimizes the actions of a gunman who deliberately hunted U.S. service members on American soil.

The attack was not spontaneous, nor was it rooted in public “unease,” as the MSNBC segment implied. The shooter, identified as Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the United States in 2021 and drove across the country with the explicit intent to carry out violence against U.S. troops. Authorities confirm the assault was premeditated and targeted. Both Guardsmen remain in critical condition.

Instead of acknowledging the gravity of the crime or the failures that enabled a foreign national with hostile intent to remain in the country, MSNBC’s commentary appeared to shift the focus toward discomfort with seeing uniformed personnel in American cities — a sentiment that outraged viewers, veterans, and military families alike. Many accused the network of providing intellectual cover for an act of terrorism.

The timing of Tur’s comments only heightened the fury. The attack comes amid President Donald J. Trump’s surge of National Guard deployments across Washington, D.C., aimed at strengthening public safety and preventing further violence. The President’s security measures have been widely supported by those who recognize the rising threats facing the nation, but sharply criticized by media outlets that have consistently opposed Trump’s approach to law and order.

For critics, the MSNBC segment represents a troubling pattern: major media downplaying threats when they undermine their political narratives. But for the families of the wounded Guardsmen — and for millions of Americans who support strong national defense — the message remains clear. Excusing or reframing attacks on U.S. troops is unacceptable, and the country deserves media coverage that condemns terrorism without conditions or excuses.