White House News Round Up
Reporting of: Thursday May 22, 2025, White House Press Briefing
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt opened her remarks addressing the shooting incident which killed two Jewish persons who worked at the Embassy of Israel, in Washington DC.
She informed that President Donald Trump had spoken with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday morning and he had expressed his condolences to the government and people of Israel.
Further, during the Briefing she strongly condemned the antisemetic attacks on Wednesday evening which resulted in the shooting to death the two Jewish young people outside the Capital Jewish Museum, in Washington DC.
Leavitt contended that antisemitism must be eradicated from our society. She also said that the Department of Justice will be prosecuting the perpetrator responsible for this to the fullest extent of the law.
Leavitt also noted, “Hatred has no place in the United States of American under President Donald Trump.” She also added that, everyone here, at the White House, was praying for the victims’ families and friends during this unimaginable time.
In addition, according to Fox News, the following details were provided on the alleged murder:
· Police say the suspect is in custody and identified him as 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago
· The suspect shouted "Free, free Palestine!" while being detained by security, police said
· The victims were leaving a Jewish event hosted by the American Jewish Committee when they were shot
· Rodriguez has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, murder of a foreign official, causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Photo taken by Cherub Nicholls