Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton Sunday termed the Orlando massacre an “act of terror” and called for stronger efforts to defeat international terrorism.
“This was an act of terror,” Clinton said in a written statement. “For now, we can say for certain that we need to redouble our efforts to defend our country from threats at home and abroad. That means defeating international terror groups, working with allies and partners to go after them wherever they are, countering their attempts to recruit people here and everywhere, and hardening our defenses at home. It also means refusing to be intimidated and staying true to our values.”
Clinton also condemned the shooting as an “act of hate” against the LGBT community and spoke of the need to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists or other violent criminals and rid “our streets” of “weapons of war.”
But Clinton’s statement was particularly notable because, unlike some Democrats who seized on the attack as a gun control matter, her first emphasis was on fighting terrorism.
