Over the last month, five explosions have taken place in Texas with the latest occurring in San Antonio after four previous bombings happened in Austin. On Tuesday morning, Sarah Huckabee Sanders spoke out about the incidents, but her message didn't go over too well with critics of the administration.
.@POTUS mourns for victims of the recent bombings in Austin. We are monitoring the situation, federal authorities are coordinating w/ local officials. We are committed to bringing perpetrators of these heinous acts to justice. There is no apparent nexus to terrorism at this time.
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) March 20, 2018
Sanders on Texas bombings
It started on March 2 when a package was opened at a private residence in Austin, Texas resulting in the death of one individual.
Ten days later on March 12, another package was opened up in Austin, this time killing one and injuring another. Just hours later and only a few miles apart, a third package was opened. No deaths occurred, but one person had been left injured. This past Sunday near a road in Travis County, a package was opened up injuring two others. Fast forward to present day in San Antonio and a FedEx employee was injured after a package exploded at the ground sorting facility.
Officials are holding a briefing following an explosion this morning at a FedEx facility near San Antonio.
— CNN (@CNN) March 20, 2018
Follow latest updates: https://t.co/6U8c5zbK24
Watch on CNN: https://t.co/UYpqI3w42L
Watch on Facebook: https://t.co/CFKgm7rPuT pic.twitter.com/6tGszy94F3
Donald Trump has not spoken out about any of these incidents, but White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders addressed the issue during a tweet on March 20, relaying a message from the president in the process.
"POTUS mourns for victims of the recent bombings in Austin," Sanders tweeted.
"We are monitoring the situation, federal authorities are coordinating w/local officials," Sarah Huckabee Sanders went on to add. "We are committed to bringing perpetrators of these heinous acts to justice," Sanders wrote, before concluding, "There is no apparent nexus to terrorism at this time."
Instant backlash
Just minutes after Sarah Huckabee Sanders sent out her tweet about the explosions and bombs in Texas, those who oppose the administration didn't take long to hit back.
"Hi! Hey, serial bombing *is* terrorism. It doesn't have to be officially perpetrated by non-Christian extremists of non-Caucasian descent to be termed as such, m'kay? You're welcome," one tweet read.
Do you think the residents of Austin feel "terrorized"? I think so.
— hickpop (@hickpopp) March 20, 2018
Can you tell him to tweet about that instead of Fox and Friends and crying about Witches?
— Tuna (@2naOnWhite) March 20, 2018
How are bombings across Texas not terrorism, you insufferable idiot?
— normal, i promise (@erikginty) March 20, 2018
"POTUS mourning?
Pictures or it never happened!" a Twitter user wrote. "How are bombings across Texas not terrorism, you insufferable idiot?" a tweet asked. "Can you tell him to tweet about that instead of Fox and Friends and crying about Witches?" an additional tweet wondered.
My granddaughter lives in Austin. She told me yesterday that they were "freaking out" after trip wire bombing. That's "terrorism".
— Juanita McFadden (@JuanitaMcFadden) March 20, 2018
"No apparent nexus to terrorism"? Are mass mail bombings not terrorism? Or are y'all waiting to see if the guy is Muslim?
— Drew Gibson (@SuppressThis) March 20, 2018
This is literally domestic terrorism.
— Sasha Talebi (@sashatalebi) March 20, 2018
"People are terrorized.
People are hiding in their homes. Community is on edge. There's your 'nexus,'" a social media user wrote. "My granddaughter lives in Austin. She told me yesterday that they were 'freaking out' after trip wire bombing. That's 'terrorism,'" a tweet went on to read.
