The White House social media team recently unleashed a scathing rebuke against Jane Mayer, a writer for The New Yorker, labeling her a “sick, disgusting ghoul.” This outburst came after Mayer voiced her opinion that the National Guard should not have been stationed in Washington, DC, in the aftermath of a shooting incident that occurred on Wednesday.

Responding to an initial report by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Mayer took to X to express her sentiments. “This is so tragic, so unnecessary; these poor guardsmen should never have been deployed,” she lamented. Her remarks suggested that the deployment was more of a political maneuver by the Trump administration rather than a necessary security measure.

Further elaborating on her stance, Mayer questioned the rationale behind the decision: “At what cost,” she asked, criticizing the deployment as a “political show.” As a resident of DC, she shared her observations, noting that the guardsmen appeared to have little to do besides picking up trash.

Her comments did not go unnoticed, swiftly drawing ire from the White House’s ‘Rapid Response 47’ team. In a sharp retort, they posted: “You sick, disgusting ghoul. Two of these heroes were just SHOT IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.” They defended the deployment, emphasizing that the National Guard had indeed saved countless lives, a fact they claimed Mayer was overlooking.

The comments quickly earned the wrath of The White House’s ‘Rapid Response 47’ team, which wrote in its own post: ‘You sick, disgusting ghoul. Two of these heroes were just SHOT IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. 

‘The Guard has saved countless lives – backed up by evidence (which you’re clearly too stupid to notice).

‘They are American Patriots.’

Others, such as outspoken White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, also seized on the post from the longtime New Yorker staff writer, after the targeted attack left two soldiers in critical condition.

Longtime New Yorker staff writer Jane Mayer – seen here at the New York Historical Society in 2021 – questioned why members of the National Guard were in Washington, DC, after Wednesday’s shooting

In a post to X, she asked ‘at what cost’ this deployment was taking place, earning the above response from the White House

The FBI confirmed Wednesday that two soldiers are being treated at a local hospital after being critically wounded

‘Jane, respectfully, shut the f**k up for trying to politicize this tragedy,’ Cheung wrote.

‘They were protecting DC and trying to make the nation’s capital safer.

‘People like you who engage in ghoulish behavior lose all credibility. Not like you had any to begin with.’

Local investment firm communications advisor Jim McCarthy wrote: ‘I’m a DC native, since even before home rule. Longtime homeowner in the city. Went to DC public schools and taught there too. Seen it all, first-hand my whole life. 

‘Jane Mayer is completely and utterly full of crap.’

Steven Law, former chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, fumed: ‘Only Jane Mayer would blame the deployment instead of the crazed killer who pulled the trigger.’

Several others expressed similar sentiments in the wake of the ambush-style attack just 800 yards from the White House.

The FBI confirmed Wednesday that two soldiers are being treated at a local hospital after being critically wounded. 

They have been identified Thursday as Andrew Wolfe, 24, and Sarah Backstrom, 20, according to US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro.

Others, including White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, tore into the New Yorker staff writer as well, seeing her stance as 

A motive in the shooting remains unclear. The Guard members were both from West Virginia 

Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was identified as the alleged gunman.

He was taken into custody Wednesday following a shootout with officials. 

Lakanwal entered the US in 2021 under a Biden-era immigration program for Afghans who left their country after the government fell to the Taliban. A motive remains unclear.

The Guard members were from West Virginia and were attacked around 2:15pm ET.