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Rubio bans 'woke' font after Biden's Calibri revolution

ErezL — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 10:05:22 +0000

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has mandated a return to Times New Roman for all official State Department communications, effectively scrapping the previous administration's adoption of the sans-serif Calibri, according to CNN.

Beginning Wednesday, a department representative stated that all papers must utilize 14-point Times New Roman to satisfy the president's "One Voice for America's Foreign Relations directive," asserting the older style is "more formal and professional."

CNN noted that this decision overturns the Biden administration's 2023 initiative to enhance document accessibility. Then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken originally approved the transition to Calibri following guidance from internal disability and diversity groups.

A December 9 cable sent to US diplomatic outposts, cited by Reuters, declared the adjustment was meant to "restore decorum and professionalism to the Department's written work products and abolish yet another wasteful DEIA program."

Typography experts explain that sans-serif fonts like Calibri lack the extending features of Times New Roman, creating a cleaner look that often aids individuals with dyslexia or vision challenges.

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (AFP / Ryan M. Kelly)

While the Americans with Disabilities Act recommends sans-serif formats, the American Psychological Association permits serif options like Times New Roman, recognizing that modern assistive technologies allow users to adjust display settings.

"Serif typefaces remain the standard in courts, legislatures, and across federal agencies where the permanence and authority of the written record are paramount," the spokesperson explained to CNN.

Lucas de Groot, the original designer of the Calibri typeface, expressed astonishment at the reversal on Wednesday.

In an interview with CNN on the program "What We Know," de Groot remarked, "I was a little bit shocked by the news. I think it's hilarious and also a bit of a sad decision. I mean, Calibri was designed to be very well readable on screen in small sizes."

The creator added that he failed to understand why the font has been categorized as "woke."

"I have no idea," de Groot laughed. "I don't know what the woke thing in it is."

He emphasized that his design philosophy prioritized clarity for people suffering from visual impairments.

"Designing a typeface in general is for me always a task to make it as well readable as possible and also to give it a sympathetic voice, a friendly voice," de Groot told CNN. "I think Times is a step back into the past."

This stylistic pivot coincides with President Donald Trump's targeted dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion mandates across federal agencies.

In January, Trump executed an order to eliminate "radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing." While the administration has since sidelined staff working on these initiatives and pressured private companies to follow suit, courts have struck down some measures, specifically regarding DEI in schools, CNN reported.

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Suspect in Washington shooting served alongside US troops in Afghanistan

omrif — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 09:10:34 +0000

According to US reports, the Afghan national who allegedly opened fire on two National Guard soldiers in Washington on Wednesday in what investigators are now treating as a terrorist attack had served with American forces in Afghanistan before arriving in the United States. One of the wounded soldiers has been identified as Andrew Wolfe of West Virginia.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, who according to sources was in the country illegally because he stayed after his visa expired, was a soldier in the Afghan army stationed in Kandahar, where he helped US special forces in the region, a relative told NBC News.

The scene of the shooting in Washington. Photo: Reuters

Lakanwal was injured during his military service and fled Afghanistan. He arrived in the US in September 2021 under the Biden administration's refugee program Operation Allies Welcome. "We were the ones the Taliban targeted in Afghanistan," the relative of the suspected shooter told NBC. "I still cannot believe he may have actually done this," he added.

Investigators believe Lakanwal lay in wait for the two National Guard members near the White House, waited for the right moment and then opened fire. He allegedly shot the female National Guard soldier in the chest and head before firing at another soldier. Lakanwal was shot and wounded during the exchange of fire.

One of the soldiers lying on the ground as paramedics provide initial treatment. Photo: Reuters

Meanwhile, US media have already identified one of the soldiers who was shot as Andrew Wolfe, according to a statement from his former high school. "Our community is very saddened to learn that a graduate of Musselman High School, Andrew Wolfe, is among the National Guard members wounded in the shooting in Washington, DC." Wolfe is currently undergoing surgery and is in critical condition. "Please keep Andrew, his family and all those affected by the incident in your prayers."

Another female National Guard soldier who was also shot in the chest and head has not yet been identified.

Lakanwal had been living in Bellingham, Washington, near the Canadian border, which has taken in additional Afghan refugees. President Trump, in a televised message delivered Tuesday night, called Lakanwal's attack "an act of terror." He said, "It was a crime against an entire nation. It was a crime against humanity."

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Did Trump lash out at Melania over her lack of applause?

ErezL — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 20:11:33 +0000

Donald Trump and Melania Trump engaged in a serious discussion. In Washington, D.C., this happened after the Marine One landing. The couple was returning from the New York United Nations General Assembly, where the president delivered his annual speech at the forum's General Debate. Footage shows President Trump gesturing as Melania shakes her head. They later walked hand-in-hand across the South Lawn. Reporters at the scene received a wave from President Trump.

US President Donald Trump speaks with First Lady Melania Trump onboard Marine One after arriving on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, September 23, 2025 (SAUL LOEB / AFP)

The president waved a finger at his wife, according to the footage obtained by Sky News video, while Melania Trump shakes her head. Disembarking from Marine One after their return from New York, the couple walks hand-in-hand across the White House's South Lawn. Preceding this exchange was a viral moment where Melania Trump failed to applaud her husband's UN speech at first, only offering two claps after noticing the cameras were focused on her.

@skynewsarabia جدال حاد بين ترامب وميلانيا داخل مروحيتهما #سوشال_سكاي ♬ original sound - SkyNewsArabia

Their New York visit included tense moments. Writing on Truth Social, President Trump, who is married for a third time, alleged that serious injury was narrowly avoided by himself and Melania prior to his UN speech. "A REAL DISGRACE took place at the United Nations yesterday – Not one, not two, but three very sinister events!" was written by President Trump, who claimed that a broken escalator could have gravely injured them. He also alleged that the simultaneous interpration of his speech was disrupted and the telemprompter was sabotaged.

Captan a los Trump discutiendo (Trump la acusa con el dedo y ella niega con la cabeza), después de que pillaran a Melania sin aplaudir el discurso de su marido en la ONU (sólo dio 2 palmadas cuando una cámara la apuntó). Según la primera dama, no se le escuchaba bien… pic.twitter.com/QWPQ1Mp630

— Patrycia Centeno (@PoliticayModa) September 26, 2025

"It's amazing that Melania and I didn't fall forward onto the sharp edges of these steel steps, face first. It was only that we were each holding the handrail tightly or, it would have been a disaster," the president was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. The accidental stop of the escalator was later clarified by a UN spokesperson, who blamed a videographer from the American delegation for triggering the stop mechanism.

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Trump dispatches FBI to combat crime in DC

miriw — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 06:15:00 +0000

Federal law enforcement resources are being significantly redirected toward Washington DC street-level crime prevention, with the FBI dispatching agents for overnight patrol shifts as President Donald Trump considers deploying the National Guard to the nation's capital. The development represents an escalation in Trump's aggressive approach to DC crime issues, according to The Washington Post.

The Trump administration has temporarily reassigned up to 120 FBI agents, primarily from the Washington Field Office, to work overnight alongside local DC police officers for at least one week, according to two individuals familiar with the deployment who spoke anonymously about internal staffing arrangements that remain unpublicized.

A decision regarding National Guard activation could materialize as early as Monday, when Trump has scheduled a White House news conference focusing on DC crime issues, according to a US official who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive operational matters, The Washington Post reported.

US President Donald Trump departs Trump Tower for a deposition two days after FBI agents raided his Mar-a-Lago Palm Beach home, in New York City, US, August 10, 2022 (Photo: Reuters/David 'Dee' Delgado) REUTERS

Trump drew comparisons Sunday between his planned DC crime intervention and his administration's stringent border immigration enforcement, declaring intentions to "immediately clear out the city's homeless population and take swift action against crime."

"Be prepared! There will be no 'MR. NICE GUY.' We want our Capital BACK," Trump stated in a Truth Social post.

White House officials declined to preview potential announcements, with one spokesperson explaining that "we won't get ahead of the president on any potential announcements, but the president has been clear that all options are on the table when it comes to making DC safe again."

The FBI agent deployment places counterintelligence, public corruption, and other specialized division personnel in street-level law enforcement roles despite their limited training in traffic stops and similar patrol activities. This reassignment diverts federal agents from their standard investigative responsibilities while Trump publicly characterizes the city as experiencing rampant violent crime.

Trump ordered federal law enforcement agents from multiple agencies to begin city street deployments last week while advocating for increased prosecution of juvenile offenders in adult court systems.

An FBI agent blocks media as ICE agents load a detained immigrant into an unmarked vehicle outside the Connecticut Superior Court on July 03, 2025 in Stamford, Connecticut (Photo: John Moore/Getty Images/AFP) Getty Images via AFP

Weekend staffing arrangements reveal the substantial FBI resources Trump's administration is redirecting toward local crime prevention, creating frustration within bureau ranks. FBI agents typically lack authority for conducting traffic stops, with their street roles potentially limited to supporting other agencies during such encounters.

The FBI deployment extends beyond DC, with agents from Philadelphia and other locations being brought in to augment federal law enforcement presence in the District, according to multiple sources familiar with operational planning.

Federal property is distributed throughout Washington, and local enforcement routinely coordinates with federal law enforcement for patrolling these areas and surrounding zones. However, the US Park Police and Secret Service, which possess greater street patrol experience, typically handle such responsibilities rather than the FBI.

Both the Secret Service and the US Secret Service Uniformed Division have received directives to initiate special DC patrol operations, according to a White House official who spoke anonymously regarding operational details.

Washington DC's unique status as a non-state jurisdiction grants the federal government distinctive authority over city affairs, even when local residents and elected officials object. The Home Rule Act of 1973 established DC residents' ability to elect their mayor and council members. A federal police force takeover would represent an extraordinary power assertion in a location where local leaders possess limited resistance mechanisms against federal intervention.

Trump has intensified his criticism of the nation's capital recently. The president posted a photograph last week of a former US DOGE Service staffer injured during an attempted carjacking. DC police subsequently arrested a 15-year-old Maryland boy and girl, charging them with unarmed carjacking. "I'm going to make our Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before," Trump wrote Sunday morning on Truth Social. "It's all going to happen very fast, just like the Border."

Trump announced in a separate Sunday social media post that Monday's 10 a.m. White House news conference will address the city's cleanliness, physical renovation, and general conditions. "The Mayor of DC, Muriel E. Bowser, is a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances, and the Crime Numbers get worse, and the City only gets dirtier and less attractive," Trump stated in an afternoon Truth Social post.

FBI tactical agents prepare as police search for a gunman who fled the scene of a shooting at a Rite Aid Distribution Center in Aberdeen, Maryland, USA, 20 September 2018 (Photo: EPA/Scott Serio) EPA

Bowser has been countering Trump's characterization of her city, emphasizing on MSNBC Sunday morning that crime rates have been decreasing in the nation's capital. DC violent crime statistics show a 26% decrease compared to this time in 2024, according to DC police data. Homicide rates have declined 12%. DC police have conducted approximately 900 juvenile arrests this year, representing almost 20% fewer than the same time frame last year. About 200 of those charges involve violent crimes, with at least four dozen related to carjacking. "If the priority is to show force in an American city, we know he can do that here," Bowser, who indicated her last Trump conversation occurred several weeks ago, stated on MSNBC. "But it won't be because there's a spike in crime."

The FBI agent reassignment has further demoralized Washington Field Office personnel, who believe they lack the expertise and training needed to effectively thwart carjackers, a situation exacerbated by their anger over recent agency dismissals they consider unwarranted. The Trump administration dismissed FBI personnel nationwide last week without explanation, including the Washington Field Office head.

"If DC doesn't get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run, and put criminals on notice that they're not going to get away with it anymore," Trump wrote in a social media post last week that included a bloody image of the injured former DOGE staffer.

Trump ordered the creation of the "DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force" this spring, serving as a vehicle for his longstanding fixations on quality-of-life issues, including homeless encampments and graffiti throughout the city. Homeless advocates and DC residents criticized Trump's threats to remove homeless individuals from DC as inhumane, costly, and impractical on Sunday. "That money could be better spent getting folks housing and support," Jesse Rabinowitz, campaign and communications director at the National Homelessness Law Center, stated regarding the federal law enforcement presence in the District.

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Trump dispatches homeland security sec to Israel following Washington shooting attack

omrif — Sun, 25 May 2025 16:00:44 +0000

In the wake of the murder of Israeli Embassy staffers outside an event at the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington DC, President Donald Trump has sent Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to Israel on an urgent visit. Noem is expected to land in Israel this evening (Sunday), where she will immediately head to the Western Wall. Later, she is set to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as with victims of terrorism. On Monday, she is scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar.

The attacker, Elias Rodriguez, murdered married couple Yaron Lishinsky and Sarah Milgrom. Rodriguez, a 31-year-old Chicago resident, has been charged with premeditated murder. The indictment reveals chilling details about the shooting, which occurred outside the National Jewish Museum.

Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were supposed to get engaged | Photo: Social media

According to the indictment, Rodriguez approached the couple from behind, drew a handgun and opened fire at their backs. After they collapsed, he confirmed the kills by shooting both multiple times. Milgrom, who tried to crawl away, was shot again as she attempted to sit up. Surveillance footage shows Rodriguez reloading his weapon and firing at her at point-blank range. He then leaned over their bodies and fired again.

The museum's security cameras captured the entire incident, including the moment the weapon jammed and Rodriguez appeared to try to fire without success. The 9mm handgun was purchased by Rodriguez in Illinois in March 2020. The shooting took place shortly before 9 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time). Emergency responders pronounced Lishinsky dead at the scene. Milgrom was evacuated to a hospital but was declared dead about half an hour later.

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Slain Israeli diplomat Yarón Lischinsky was German Christian who fell in love with Jewish state

ErezL — Thu, 22 May 2025 13:23:15 +0000

Yarón Lischinsky (30) and Sarah Lynn Milgrim (26), two staff members of the Israeli embassy in Washington, were murdered Thursday in a shooting attack outside the Jewish Museum in the US capital. The perpetrator, Elias Rodriguez, 31, from Chicago – a far-left activist previously involved in anti-Israeli protests across the US – left behind a manifesto declaring he carried out the attack "as part of the Palestinian struggle."

Lischinsky grew up in Nuremberg, Germany as an Evangelical Christian before moving to Israel in his youth driven by Zionist ideals. Zineb Riboua, a Moroccan researcher based in the US who maintained a close friendship with Lischinsky, shared her grief on social media, writing: "Yarón Lischinskywas the finest friend I've ever had, brilliant, kind, and endlessly thoughtful. A devout Christian and a gifted linguist, he spoke German, Hebrew, and Japanese. He was full of curiosity and always brimming with ideas. I don't think we ever had a conversation that didn't leave me inspired to write something new. He loved America. He was excited about the future, about finally visiting Texas, and about the life he and his beloved fiancée were building together. I was supposed to meet her today. They are both gone. And the loss is immeasurable. The world has lost two extraordinary souls. And I have lost a dear friend who made every moment brighter."

Tom Ziv, former director of the Argaman Institute and doctoral candidate at the Hebrew University, first met Lischinsky when he taught him at the Hebrew University. "He was an undergraduate student in my introduction to international relations course," Ziv recalled in an interview. "During the final class, I mentioned my doctoral dissertation about Israel's support methods in the evangelical world. Afterward, he approached me and revealed he was an evangelical Christian himself and wanted to discuss this further."

This spawned a meaningful relationship that spanned several years. "He became the first evangelical Christian I interviewed face-to-face," Ziv explained. "We maintained regular contact afterward. I frequently consulted with him about evangelicals in general, my research, and even personal matters. I introduced him to the Argaman Institute where I managed various programs. Later, when I became the institute's director, he joined one of our initiatives – a program designed for outstanding undergraduate and graduate students."

The scene near the Jewish Capital Museum on May 22, 2025, after the shooting. Inset: Sarah Lynn Milgrim (AP/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Ziv portrays him as "simply a charming and kind-hearted individual. Quiet and modest, yet simultaneously filled with passion and a genuine desire to create change." He added that "if I had to describe him in one word, it would be Zionist. This quality was unmistakably prominent in everything he did."

"We're talking about someone from Germany who identified as Christian, yet chose to come to Israel and serve in the military," Ziv emphasized. "He didn't merely come to complete his service and leave – he genuinely wanted to build his life here." Ziv mentioned that Lischinsky even encouraged his family to immigrate to Israel, "They relocated here. I'm not certain where they reside now, but they were living in Israel at that time."

Lischinsky was mourned by social media as a modest and loveable person (Credit: Social media)

Following his military service and academic pursuits at both the Hebrew University and Reichman University, Lischinsky embarked on a diplomatic career path. "He truly committed his life to serving the State of Israel, choosing diplomacy as his vehicle for contribution," Ziv explained.

According to Ziv, Lischinsky believed that "diplomacy offered him the greatest opportunity to create meaningful change, leveraging his multilingual abilities, dual citizenship, and what you might call his international perspective to defend Israel and enhance our global position and standing."

At the Israeli embassy in Washington, where he began working in early 2023, Lischinsky served as a research assistant in the political department focusing on Middle East and North Africa issues, while Milgrim worked within the public diplomacy section. Ziv describes a young professional primarily interested in "Zionism, strategy, and diplomacy," alongside philosophy and various other intellectual pursuits. "He was an exceptional student. Quiet, modest, always with a smile. A true role model," Ziv remarked.

Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were supposed to get engaged (Social media) Social media

Ziv emphasized that Lischinsky's religious convictions played a significant role in shaping his life choices. "He clearly identified as an evangelical Christian," Ziv noted. "To quote him directly, he once told me, 'As a Christian who reads the Bible, support and love for Israel naturally flows from scripture. I cannot imagine it any other way.'"

A man with an Israeli flag draped on his shoulders near the scene where two people were shot and killed near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, May 22, 2025 (EPA / Will Oliver)

The final conversation between Ziv and Lischinsky occurred approximately a year ago. "During our last talk, he mentioned wanting to remain in Washington a bit longer before eventually returning to Israel. He envisioned his future here." His diplomatic ambitions remained evident even then. "In that final conversation, I asked him directly whether he saw his future in diplomacy. He confirmed that he did."

Ziv becomes visibly emotional while reflecting on Lischinsky's legacy. "Without exaggeration – many Israelis and Jews could learn profound lessons about Zionism from people like him. He demonstrated what it means to embrace Zionist ideals without cynicism."

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DC shooter manifesto revealed

omrif — Thu, 22 May 2025 07:00:39 +0000

An American blogger on Thursday published the final letter written by Elias Rodriguez, a far-left activist who carried out the deadly shooting at the Jewish Museum in Washington, killing two employees of the Israeli Embassy.

The blogger, Ken Klippenstein, claims that the signature and timestamp on the document indicate its authenticity. Other experts who chose to share the excerpt also believe it to be an original document.

In a lengthy, impassioned, and ideologically charged text, Rodriguez, a radical leftist from Chicago, claimed that Israel's conduct in the Gaza Strip, and in particular, American support for Israeli operations, had driven him to commit the terrorist attack.

"After a few months of rapidly mounting death tolls Israel had obliterated the capacity to even continue counting the dead, which has served its genocide well," Rodriguez wrote at the start of his letter. "At time of writing the Gaza health ministry records 53,000 killed by traumatic force, at least ten thousand lie under rubble, and who knows how many thousands more dead of preventable disease, hunger, with tens of thousands now at risk of imminent famine due to Israeli blockade, all enabled by Western and Arab government complicity."

In the letter's closing paragraph, Rodriguez justified his actions, writing: "Those of us against the genocide take satisfaction in arguing that the perpetrators and abettors have forfeited their humanity. I sympathize with this viewpoint and understand its value in soothing the psyche which cannot bear to accept the atrocities it witnesses, even mediated through the screen. But inhumanity has long since shown itself to be shockingly common, mundane, prosaically human. A perpetrator may then be a loving parent, a filial child, a generous and charitable friend, an amiable stranger, capable of moral strength at times when it suits him and sometimes even when it does not, and yet be a monster all the same. Humanity doesn't exempt one from accountability. The action would have been morally justified taken 11 years ago during Protective Edge, around the time I personally became acutely aware of our brutal conduct in Palestine. But I think to most Americans such an action would have been illegible, would seem insane. I am glad that today at least there are many Americans for which the action will be highly legible and, in some funny way, the only sane thing to do."

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How embassy attack unfolded: Eyewitnesses describe 'back and forth' pacing

ErezL — Thu, 22 May 2025 04:11:28 +0000

Paige Siegel, an eyewitness to the tragic shooting of two Israeli Embassy staff members near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC on Wednesday, unknowingly spoke to the suspect, 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez, moments after the attack, mistaking his shaken demeanor for that of a harmless bystander, CNN reported.

The shooting unfolded at approximately 9:08 p.m. ET near Third Street and F Street Northwest, outside the Capital Jewish Museum, during the American Jewish Committee's "Young Diplomats Reception." The event, themed "turning pain into purpose," brought together young professionals and diplomats from 6:30 to 9 p.m. ET. The victims, leaving the sold-out gathering, were fatally shot, prompting a swift response from authorities due to the proximity of the FBI's Washington Field Office.

Siegel's firsthand account illuminates the suspect's actions immediately after the shooting. Unaware of his role, she spoke to Rodriguez, a 30-year-old from Chicago, inside the museum, where he had fled. She described him as "so shaken" that he appeared harmless, leading her to initially mistake him for a bystander.

Siegel's perception shifted when police arrived roughly 10 minutes later. As Rodriguez was apprehended, she told CNN she heard him shout "Free Palestine!" revealing his involvement. His later statement to police, "I did it for Gaza," suggests a possible ideological motive linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Sara Marinuzzi, another eyewitness, noted Rodriguez pretended to be a witness for over 10 minutes before admitting, "I did it for Gaza. Free Palestine!" aligning with Siegel's observations.

Rodriguez, previously unknown to law enforcement, was detained by event security inside the museum. He directed authorities to his discarded handgun, which was recovered, and admitted his involvement while chanting "Free Free Palestine," according to Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela A. Smith.

The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Forces and DC Metropolitan Police are interviewing Rodriguez and analyzing evidence at the FBI's Washington Field Office. Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed no active threat remains, reassuring the community.

Police received multiple calls about the shooting and found the victims – a man and a woman – unconscious and not breathing. Despite efforts by DC Fire and EMS, both succumbed to their injuries.

The scene of the attack against Israeli Embassy workers in Washington DC, May 22, 2025 (Inset: the suspect being arrested) EPA/WILL OLIVER

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith said authorities received "multiple calls" for a shooting near Third Street and F Street Northwest around 9:08 p.m. ET. with responding officers discovering two adults – one male and one female – at the scene.

"Officers located one adult male and one adult female unconscious and not breathing at the scene," Smith stated. Despite emergency responders' attempts to save them, Smith confirmed that "both victims succumbed to their injuries."

The Israeli ambassador to the US revealed that the deceased were a couple who had been planning to become engaged. They were among four people approached by the gunman as they departed from the museum event.

Prior to the attack, security footage showed the suspect Illinois, pacing back and forth outside the museum. According to information provided to CNN, Rodriguez opened fire with a handgun before entering the museum.

Event security personnel detained Rodriguez inside the building. After being handcuffed, the suspect directed security to the location where he had discarded his weapon, which authorities subsequently recovered.

While in custody, Rodriguez reportedly chanted "Free free Palestine." Police officials informed CNN that Rodriguez had no prior contact with law enforcement and is believed to have acted alone in the attack.

President Donald Trump offered condolences on Truth Social, stating, "Antisemitism, hatred, and Radicalism have no place in the USA." Attorney General Pam Bondi, who visited the scene, pledged federal cooperation with DC authorities to ensure safety.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the attack "a brazen act of cowardly, antisemitic violence." US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee labeled it a "horrific act of terror," and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described it as a "sickening" instance of antisemitism.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed solidarity, stating that America and Israel "will stand united" in defending shared values. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar declared, "Israel will not surrender to terrorism," after discussions with Huckabee.

The attack has heightened concerns within the Jewish community. Ron Halber, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, urged resilience, advocating for "proud, open, Jewish lives." Federal and local authorities are prioritizing security, particularly for the Jewish community, with FBI police officers' rapid response highlighting robust coordination.

Authorities are examining Rodriguez's background and potential affiliations, with his statements and recovered weapon central to the probe.. Attorney General Bondi emphasized federal commitment to safety, stating that agencies will "work hand-in-hand" with DC authorities to protect citizens, especially the Jewish community.

"This murder didn't happen in a vacuum, but is the direct result of the incessant hatred by those who call to "Globalize the Intifada", Campaign Against Antisemitism CEO Sacha Roytman Dratwa said, adding that anyone who "wondered about the context of whether a particular chant was hate speech or antisemitic, this is what it looks like when physically manifested." He stressed that CAM "has warned about the growing violence of the far-Left, and now it seems that our deepest fears have come true." According to CAM's statement, "the murderer did not know his victims were Israeli, he just knew they attended a Jewish event. When we say that the anti-Semites don't hate Jews because of Israel, but rather, they hate Israel because it is the Jewish homeland, this is what we mean."

CAM pointed to its annual Antisemitism data report, showing that "the most prominent characteristic of antisemitic incidents was the overwhelming dominance of far-Left ideology," which they say is a "decisive shift from 2023."

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Alleged shooter in DC museum attack apparently linked to far-Left

ErezL — Thu, 22 May 2025 03:15:54 +0000

US authorities have released the name of the suspect in the attack at a Jewish museum in Washington, where two Israeli embassy workers were murdered Thursday morning. According to reports, Elias Rodriguez, a young resident of Chicago, Illinois, is believed to be responsible for the shooting.

Elias Rodriguez, @PSLchicago and BLM activist ? pic.twitter.com/sH8p7Rz995

— SwordOfSalomon (@SwordOfSalomon) May 22, 2025

Social media users circulated images from a Liberation News article as potential evidence of Rodriguez's organizational affiliations and participation in pro-Gaza demonstrations.

Multiple unconfirmed social media posts have attempted to establish connections between Rodriguez and the Chicago chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. The posts emerged shortly after authorities released the suspect's identity and hometown information. According to reports in national media outlets, Rodriguez had previously participated in pro-Gaza demonstrations across the country.

Video: Yoni Kalin speaks about the incident / Credit: Social media

Social media users circulated images from a Liberation News article as potential evidence of Rodriguez's organizational affiliations. One such post questioned: "Is this him? Elias Rodriguez of Chicago – Party for Socialism & Liberation. Fully investigate that organization."

Witness Yoni Kalin on Fox5 shares more details:

Rodriguez was let in by security guards, he asked for cops & when they arrived he admitted crime.

"He grabbed a red kaffiyeh out of his pocket and started 'Free Palestine' chant, 'there's only one solution, Intifada revolution.'" pic.twitter.com/8fayT8jTaA

— Jacob N. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) May 22, 2025

The Liberation News piece discusses the 2014 police killing of Laquan McDonald in Chicago, where someone identified as Elias Rodriguez stated, "the murder of Laquan McDonald and the Chicago bid for an Amazon headquarters are not two separate issues, but rather they are both connected." Investigators have not yet verified whether the individual quoted represents the same person arrested in connection with the Washington shooting.

The scene of the attack against Israeli Embassy workers in Washington DC, May 22, 2025 (Inset: the suspect being arrested) / EPA/Will Oliver

Eyewitnesses claimed that minutes after the shooting, they saw the young man enter the museum building saying, "I saw what happened, I need water and a safe place." Shortly afterward, when police entered the building, Rodriguez pulled out a keffiyeh and began shouting slogans including "There is only one solution, intifada, revolution," a chant commonly associated with far-left activists.

Video: The arrest of the suspect at the scene of the killing / Credit: Social media

A brief video from the scene shows Rodriguez dressed in a suit and wearing glasses, already in police custody but continuing to shout "Free Palestine" toward the camera. He was taken for questioning by Washington police.

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2 Israeli Embassy staff killed in shooting outside Jewish Museum in Washington

ErezL — Thu, 22 May 2025 03:00:34 +0000

Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC were fatally shot Wednesday evening near the Capital Jewish Museum, with authorities detaining a suspect who reportedly chanted anti-Israel slogans after the attack.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed the deaths in a statement on social media. "Two Israeli Embassy staff were senselessly killed tonight near the Jewish Museum in Washington DC," Noem said in a post on X. "We are actively investigating and working to get more information to share."

Video: The arrest of the suspect at the scene of the killing / Credit: Social media

CNN reported that Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith addressed the incident at a news conference, stating that investigators believe a single suspect, now in custody, carried out the shooting. "Prior to the shooting, the suspect was observed pacing back and forth outside of the museum," Smith said, before the suspect "approached a group of four people, produced a handgun and opened fire striking both of our decedents." According to Smith, the suspect entered the museum after the shooting where event security detained him. While in custody, the suspect repeatedly chanted "Free, Free Palestine," Smith revealed.

The victims were identified as embassy staff members who had a romantic relationship, CNN noted. Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter described them as a "young couple about to be engaged," during the news conference. "A young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem," Leiter added, highlighting the personal tragedy behind the attack.

According to a witness who spoke to Fox News, security guards let him in to the event premises, thinking he was a victim who was running for safety and even offered him water, after which he confessed to the crime after asking to speak with the cops, while saying, "Free Palestine! There's only one solution – Intifada revolution." The witness, Yoni Kalin said the shooter executed the victims by shooting from the back with "five to 10 shots."

In a statement released after the incident, Israeli Embassy spokesperson Tal Naim Cohen confirmed that two staff members were shot "at close range" while attending a Jewish event at the museum, CNN reported. The Israeli ambassador was not present at the location during the shooting, according to an embassy spokesperson who spoke with CNN.

The suspect is a 30-year-old man from Chicago called Elias Rodriguez. His gun was also recovered during his arrest.

CNN mentioned that US Attorney General Pam Bondi and Acting US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro arrived at the scene shortly after the incident. Israeli Ambassador Leiter was also present at the site following the shooting.

The American Jewish Committee was hosting an event at the museum when the attack occurred, CNN noted. Ted Deutch, the organization's CEO, released a statement expressing shock over the violence. "We are devastated that an unspeakable act of violence took place outside the venue," he said. "At this moment, as we await more information from the police about exactly what transpired, our attention and our hearts are solely with those who were harmed and their families."

President Donald Trump condemned the attack on social media, CNN reported. "These horrible DC killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims," Trump wrote on X.

"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!" —President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/Z30bjAQOpZ

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 22, 2025

Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon characterized the incident as a hate crime, according to CNN. In a statement posted on X, Danon said: "The fatal shooting that took place outside the event that took place at the Jewish Museum in Washington, DC – in which Israeli embassy employees were also injured – is a depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism."

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