A decision to grant military funeral honors to Babbitt, who died during the January 6 assault on the Capitol, has sparked outrage among veterans and lawmakers.
The decision to grant military funeral honors to Ashli Babbitt, the Air Force veteran fatally shot during the January 6 Capitol riot, has sparked a wave of backlash.
Babbitt was shot and killed by a Capitol police officer while trying to climb through a barricaded door to enter the Speaker’s Lobby on January 6. An investigation found that the officer’s shooting was justified.
Following her death, Babbitt was denied military honors under the Biden administration. But Matthew Lohmeier, under secretary of the Air Force, said in an letter to Babbitt’s family that he was «persuaded that the previous determination was incorrect» after reviewing new information about her death, according to conservative legal group Judicial Watch.
The decision has sparked backlash online.
Newsweek has contacted Judicial Watch and the Department of the Air Force via online form for comment.Why It Matters
The decision underscores a broader shift under President Donald Trump, who has already issued pardons to some January 6 defendants. Extending military honors to Babbitt goes a step further, critics argue, by legitimizing the actions of the rioters and blurring the line between service to the country and an assault on democratic institutions.What To Know
The decision to grant Babbitt military funeral honors sparked outrage across social media, with veterans, lawmakers and activists condemning the move.
Podcaster Ryan Shead wrote on X, formerly Twitter: «As an Airman myself, allow me to say this is complete bulls**t. This reversal deeply disrespects every honorable soldier who’s had our Stars and Stripes draped over their casket as Taps play in the background.»
«This is disgusting», former congressman Adam Kinzinger wrote on X.
Writer and LGBTQ activist Charlotte Clymer wrote on X: «Ashli Babbitt was a grown ass adult who made a series of conscious, ill-advised decisions to engage in treasonous behavior, and she got exactly what she deserved.
