The Obama administration is still reluctant to call the attack in California an act of terrorism, citing the ongoing investigation by the F.B.I. before they might willing to specifically define the event.
At the White House today, reporters questioned Press Secretary Josh Earnest about the reported details of the shooters, including the recent revelation that one of them pledged allegiance to ISIS.
“I don’t want to talk about the situation because there’s still an ongoing investigation to determine exactly what transpired and what motivated those individuals to take the terrible indefensible violent action that they took,” Earnest said.
He tried to reassure the American people to remain confident in the abilities of the intelligence and law enforcement officials to keep Americans safe. He added that it was “far too early” to discuss whether or not the attack was proof of a massive intelligence failure.
“There is an all of government approach that is taken to protecting the homeland, to protect the American people, and to protecting our interests both in this country and around the world,” he said.
Earnest continued to echo the administration’s call for more gun control to help block the more frequent mass shootings in America.
UPDATE:
After repeatedly insisting that it was too early to define the attacks in California as an act of terrorism, the FBI announced less than an hour after the White House press briefing that it is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.
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