WH defends Johnson’s call for caution at Mall of America

The White House on Monday defended Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson’s comments that people should be “careful” while at the Mall of America after a terrorist group released a video threatening the shopping center.

{mosads}“I think the secretary was noting how important it is for the American people to continue to be vigilant,” said Press Secretary Josh Earnest.

But Earnest also insisted repeatedly that there was no specific, credible threat to any mall in the country.

“The fact of the matter is, the intelligence community has indicated that there is no specific credible plot against the mall,” he said. “Essentially, this is a reaction to a propaganda video put out by a terrorist group in Africa.”

Johnson made his comments after the terrorist group al-Shabaab released a video threatening Western malls — including one mall in Canada and another in London.

“I would say that, if anyone is planning to go to the Mall of America today, they’ve got to be particularly careful,” Johnson said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”