Obama administration officials blamed Republicans in Congress for “underfunding” efforts to combat violent extremism, implicating the party for the terrorist attack at an Orlando gay nightclub.

“The president’s been quite disappointed that Congress, Republicans in Congress have underfunded our countering violent extremism efforts,” said White House press secretary Josh Earnest during the press briefing today telling reporters that the president had requested an increase in the budget.

Earnest complained that Republicans wouldn’t even speak with Obama’s budget director to discuss budget increases.

“Republicans have not fulfilled their responsibility to do everything that is necessary to protect the country from violent extremism,” he said. “It’s time for them to step up to the plate and do their job.”

At the same time, Earnest urged Americans to “take great confidence” in both the law enforcement professionals to keep them safe, but also in President Obama’s leadership.

“They have a president of the United States who has made his No. 1 priority protecting our homeland, and our federal government expends significant resources in pursuit of that goal,” he said. “And that’s something that should give the American people great confidence to go on with their lives.”