Meanwhile, the Trump administration has ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington following the shooting of Guard troops just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence.
US President Donald Trump condemned the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House, describing the incident as a ‘horrific assault’ and ‘an act of terror’. Two National Guards were shot at point-blank range in the national capital on the eve of the thanksgiving holiday.
Briefing the media, the Republican leader blamed the previous Joe Biden, saying the suspect came from Afghanistan on a 2021 airlift and called the country a “hellhole”.
The suspect has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021, and as per law enforcement, he is believed to have acted alone.ย He said swift and certain action would be taken and shared that the suspect was an Afghan as per information by the Homeland security. “Earlier today on the eve of the thanksgiving holiday, two members of the National Guard serving in Washington DC were shot at point blank range in a monstrous, ambush styled attack just steps away from the White House,” said Trump.
Act of terror: Trump
“This heinous assault was an act of evil and an act of hatred and an act of terror. It was a crime against our entire nation, it was a crime against humanity. The hearts of all Americans tonight are with those two members of the West Virginian National Guards and their families,” he said.
Trump said that as the country is filled with anguish and grief for those shot at, “we’re also filled with rightous anger and ferocious resolve”.
Suspectย entered USย from Afghanistan: Trump
He said that as the President of the United States, “the animal who perpetrated this atrocity, pays the steepest possible price. I can report tonight based on the best available information, the Department of homeland security is confident that the suspect in custody is a foreigner who entered our country from Afghanistan- a hellhole on earth.”
Trump alleged that the Afghan person was flown in by the Biden administration in 2021, “on those infamous flights…. his status was extended under legislations signed by President Biden” and added, “this attack underscores the single greatest national security threat facing our nation. The last administration let in 20 million unknown foreigners from all over the world”.
He said that US will now re-examine every single alien who has entered the US from Afghanistan under Biden administration and ensure removal of those who don’t love America.
“We are not going to put up on these kinds of assaults on law and order by people who shouldn’t even be in our country. We must now re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden, and we must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here or add benefit to our country. If they can’t love our country, we don’t want them. America will never bend or yield in the face of terror. At the same time, we will not be deterred from the mission the service members were so nobly fulfilling.”
‘The animal will pay very steep price’:Trump
Earlier, in a post on Truth Social, Trump extended support to the National Guard troops after two members were shot and ordered 500 additional National Guard members to the city after the shooting. Trump referred to the shooter as an “animal” and said that he will “pay a very steep price”.
“The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price,” Trump wrote on social media.
“God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!” Trump added.
White House shootingย
Two West Virginia National Guard members who deployed to the nation’s capital were shot Wednesday afternoon just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence that the mayor described as a targeted attack.
FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the Guard members were hospitalised in critical condition.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, was identified as the suspected gunman. Lakanwal entered the US in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the US withdrawal from the country, officials said.
The suspect who was in custody also was shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
Jeffrey Carroll, an executive assistant D.C. police chief, said investigators had no information on a motive. He said the assailant “came around the corner” and immediately started firing at the troops, citing video reviewed by investigators.
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